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ORGANIZiiTION, FUiCTIONS AI'JD RECORDS 
OF TliE 

, ■ m SKIPPING ISTRATIOK 

■■DURING 'AORLD TA’iR II 


CDirnilcd by 

K0:BR L. CALKIN . 

Th c National Archive^f • 




Reproduced by 

THE NATIONAL SECURITY. RESOUIiCES BOARD 
General Research and Reports Division 
Records Service and Management Branch 
August 26, 1949 

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EXPUMTORY NOTE 


This description of the organization, functions, 
and records of the TTar Shipping Administration during 
r/orld !Tar II is part of the draft copy for a forth¬ 
coming handbook of records of ^Yorld "Yar II, It was 
prepared by Homer L. Calkin, under the direction of 
Philip M. Hamer, Director of Records Control, the 
National Archives, and it is now available for mobili¬ 
zation planning purposes under terms of an agreement 
betv/een the National Security Resources Board and the 
National Archives, November 9, 19i;8. 

For additional information about the records or 
services on them, NSRB staff members should call the 
Records Service and Management Branch of the General 
Research and Reports Division, ext, 3U5l. Other per¬ 
sons wishing to use the records should call the pres¬ 
ent custodians: The Maritime Commission or the 
National Archives, 



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C q ^ T 5 K T S 


Page 


VfAR SIIIPPiNG ADMIRISmTION .. 1 

Office of the Administrator ... 3 


Committees, Boards, and Agencies Functional.ly Associated 

’’^Vith the V.'ar Shipping* Administration .... 3 

Pacific Coast Jiaritime Industry Board ... 3 

Special Interdepartmental Committee' on Maritime’ Labor- .. 3 

Seamen's Service Awards Committee .... h 

Advisory Board on Just Compensa'fi'on .. U 

Car Foinvard’ing' Corporation ,..., .. ... U 

Daily bp era tiohs Gommittee..... 5 

InterMAmeVicah technical liari'tiiite Commission. '•-•.•••••• 5 

Combined Shipping Adjustment Board .... 5 

United’ ‘iviaritirrie 'Authority \ ,',W' .^....... 6 

^ -Price "Adjustment 'Board .7 

Joint 'Reviev/ ‘Board ..... V. ... 7 

Cdmriiittee on Crew 'Disciplinarj^^ Matters ..... 7 

Cdmiiittee 'dri Agehcy Terminations ...... C 

Cdrimittoe 'dri 'General'Agency 'Assignments .. '...... C 

.-Cdrm\ittee ‘oh "Vessel Cdiripensation;... 8 


Office 'of the Assistant'to the Administrator . 8 


Legal 'Division .M. ^ 1 ^ 1 i... 9 

Division of Personnel rianagement ..'...9 


Office of the Coordinator of Ship Defense Installations ....... 10 


Office' of the' Deputy' Administrator' for Construction.. 11 


Office of the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization,^ 

Planning, and Policies ....... 12• 

Port* Utilization' Corrjnittee' ..... 12 


Office' of the' A'ssi'stanf D'eputy Administrator for Shin Control . 12 


o _ Division of Allocations'and'A's'signments ... 13 

Seciurity 'and Cofrcmini'catiohs Division..., I 4 

Division'of Statisti'c's’and'Research ..... lli 

Division of Ship Requirements . 15 

Division 01 Economic Policy.... 16 

’ Divinien'of Cargo R'equirements' 16 

3a^a>:ibe Division .. I 6 























































17 


Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Allocations ... 


Office' of th'c Assistant Deputy Administrator for Shipping 
Services ... 




13 


Division of Shipping Areas 


18 


Office'of the' Assistant' Deputy' Administrator for Ship 
Operations ..... 

Division'of Traffic ... . 19 

Divisioh’ of ■ Foreign’ Service .. 20 

Division'of Foreign'Charters and Ship Warrants . 20 

■ 'Vessel OperAtiohs Division ..... 21 


Ildhine Operations Section.... 22 

Bunker Fuel' Section ... 23 

'Bunker Control' Committee .... i,, 11 . • «i ... 23 

Vessel Performance'Section ... 23 

Division of'Operating 'Contracts .. 2U 

Charters and ‘Agreements Section .. 2ii 

Agdrtcy Section 2U 

Stevedoring Section . 25 

■Committee of Practical Stevedores . 25 

Terminals Section. 25 

Division of Food Control . 26 

Office of the' Assistant Deputy Administrator for Tanl^er 
Operation. 2? 


Tanker Operations Division .... 2? 

Tanker- Control Board .. 27 

Tanlcer Allocations Division ... 28 

Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Fiscal Affairs. 28 


Division ‘Of 'Operating'Costs Control .... 28 

Division of Large Vessel Procuremen-b ....... 29 

Division of Lend-Lease Procurement.. 30 

Division of Freight Rates & Surcharges . 30 

Division of "vVartiine Insurance . 32 

Wartime Insurance Committee .... 32 

Division-of Large Vessels Disposal.. 33 


Office of -the AsSi’dtant ‘Deputy Administrator for ifeintenance 

and Repair .............. 3 I; 


Division of !J.Iaiht'ehance and Repair .. 3h 

Division of' Field S'erv’’ ce .. 35 

Division of Repair Contracts ... 36 

Division of Foreign Repairs and Salvage .. 36 












































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Office of tliG Assistant Deputy Administrator for Smali. Vessels ... 37 


Division of vSmall Vessel Procurement... 37 

Division of Gmail Vessel Operations . 3S 

Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ch.arters 

and Vai.uations ..... 3^ 


Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for the Pacific Area, 39 


Office for the Russian Shipping Area 


39 


Office of the Deputy Administrator for Labor Relations, Manning, 


Training and Recruitment. ul 

Training and Manning Requironents Advisory Gomraitteo ul 

Ilaritimo har Emergency Board... 4 I 

Maritime Labor Relations Organization . U2 

Labor Agreements Dri.vision .... Il2 

Lar Risk Compensation Division. .’43 

Marine Complaints Division. I 43 


Rccmiitm-cnt and I.Ianning Organization. 

Marjiin.g Division. 

Recruitment Division.*. 

Foreign Division... 

Service Division ..... 

Control Office . 

Office of United Kingdom Rcprcseiitati\"G 


43 

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15 


Training Organization.. hS 

Merchant Marine Cadet Corps Division • • .......... • ii 6 

Maritime Service Division....... 46 

St.ate Maritime Acadoniies Division...... U 6 

Administrative Offices and Sections ... .. hi 

Medical Division ......... I 47 


Medical Section (Training Organization).. 48 

Medical Section (Gtec mi tacit and Manning) . UB 

Medical Section (Operations Division) .. ,'48 

Medical Section (:b:amination of Seamen) ..I 48 


Field Offices 


49 


Atlantic Coast District Office 


49 


Gulf Coast District Office..... h9 

Regional Office of the C-roat Lakes Area • • .. 1;9 







































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WAR SHIPPING AD;.JiJIS'TRATION 


The War Shipping Administration v/as established virithin the Office for 
Eiaergency Management by an Executive order of February 1942. This order 
transferred to the new Administration all vessels ovmed by the United 
States Maritime Commission and all the functions and powers of that Com¬ 
mission ?dth respect to the operation, purchase, charter, insurance, repair, 
maintenance, and requisition of vessels and the issuance of warrants peri.iit- 
ting American and foreign flag vessels to operate in United States trade. 

The Chajjrman of the karitiiae Co-mission, Rear Adaiiral (later Vice-Admiral-) 
Emory S. Land (U.S.N, retired) v;as appointed as Administrator on February 9, 
I 9 U 2 , and held this position throughout the war period. 

The V/ar Shipping Administration managed the vessels tui-nod over to it 
as a pool for allocation to the Army, the Navq/, other Federal agencies, 
and the governments of the United Natio.ns according to the requirementvS 
of war strategy. It controlled the acquisition and use of all ocean vessels 
under the flag or control of the,United States,•except combat vessels of 
the Army, the Navy, and the Coast Guard, ’ fleet auxiliaries of the Navy, 
transports o".7ned by the Army and the Nay/, and vessels engaged in coastwise, 
intercoastal, and inland transportation (which were under the control of 
the Director of the Office of Defense Transportation). It provided iua.rine 
insurance and reinsurance against loss and damage by the risks of v^ar. It 
established conditions governing priorities for merchant vessels engaged 
in services connected with national defense. It also maintained current 
data on the availability of shipping, in existence or under construction, 
and furnished such data on request to the V/ar and the Navy Departments 
and to other Governiaent agencies concerned wdth the import or export of 
T;ar materials and coiimiodities. In its relevant activities it cooperated 
vd-th the Export Shipping Requirements Commission, the Export Traffic Con¬ 
trol Coimnission, the Middle East Supply Center, the Combined Food Board, 
the Food Requirements Committee, and the Interdepartmental Foreign Require¬ 
ments Committee. It also represented the United States Government in deal¬ 
ing vdth the British Ministry for War Transport and with the shipping 
agencies of other nations allied vith the United States. 

The war* Shipping Administration w’as terminated by an act of July 8, 

19 46 (60 Stat. 501 ), effective September 1, 1946. During the remainder 
of 1946 units of the Administration were gradually dissolved, and their 
functions -V'/ere either dropped or transferred to units vi thin the Maritime 
Commission. 


Records .— The records of the V/ar Shipping Administration (12,000 feet) 
Yrcro not handled as a separate body but were maintained under the saxae 
supervision as those of the Maritime Commission. Each unit of the Admin¬ 
istration was requested to send its correspondence, d.iroctivcs, reports, 
and supporting materials to the iJaritime ComvJLssion's General Files, where 
they were interfiled rdth records from other units of the '.far Shipping 
Administration and of the COi.naission vri.thout regard for the identity of 
their originating offices. In practice only a small portion of tho 




- 2 - 


AcLninistration's records ’*Terc sent to General Files, and the remainder 
Y/crc kept by the several administrative units until they ?:cre transferred 
vjith their related functions to the Iviaritime Coiiimission, The records of 
many of the War Shipping Administration's offices and divisions have been 
interfiled vdth those cf the maritime Goimriission divisions that succeeded 
to their functions or that had handled the saiae activities at an earlier 
time. The field records of the Administration are being concentrated in 
the records management centers of the Maritime Commission, v^here those 
that have permanent value will be segregated for ultimate transfer to 
l/ashington, 


Sec: Ymr Shipping Administration, The United States Merchant 
marine ; Report of the V/ar Shipping Adiviinistrator to the 
President, (19U6. 80 p.); War Shipping Adi.iinistration, "Admin¬ 
istrative Code" (I 9 U 6 . t^’pevriten; in Office of Secretary of 
the maritime Coi.imission); War Shipping Administration, "General 
State.dent of Activities" (19^4. 292 pp., typewTitten; in Office 
of the Secretary." of the Marith.ie CoaLaission). 




- 3 - 


Office of the Adixiinistrator 


The Administrator established policies for the control and operation 
of the United States uerchant fleet, issuing such dirccti\’’os as ho deemed 
appropriate to give his policies effect. He maintained close liaison 
with the Director of the ilaval Transportation Service, the Chief of Trans¬ 
portation of the Army Transportation Corps, and other Governi.iont repre¬ 
sentatives to insure the most efficient utilization of available shipping. 
Ho vras represented on many coimaittoos, railitory, and civilian, "h ich 
dealt with priorities, allocations, food supplies, and shipping routes. 

Records .—The records of the Office of the Administrator are in the 
General Files of the Maritime Commission, 

Committees, Boards, and Agencies Functionalist Associated v;ith the Tar 

Shipping Administration 


The cowr.iittoes, boards, and agcix^ies irlth "vdiich the Administrator was 
most closely, concerned and Y/hich are not treated elsewhere in this H-andbook 
are discussed immediately^ belo’w. 


Pacific Coast Maritmie Industry'- Board .— This Board Y/as created on 
March 11, 19U2, by^ a general order of the VTar Shipping Ad.uinistration as 
an agency ”to coordinate the efforts of the employ^er and a.iployee groups 
on the Pacific Coast for the, purpose of increasing efficiency in loading 
and discharging vessels in that area” (7 F.R, 2176). It consisted of 
representatives of the oYmers, operators, and agents on the Pacific Coast, 
two representatives of the longshore unions on the Pacific Coast, -and a 
chalnaa.n, all appointed* by^ the Administrator of the IVar Shipping Adminis¬ 
tration, 

The Boej:’d conducted surveys of loading and discharging vdth a view 
to recommending changes that would result in increased efficiency in this 
vrork. It consulted -with the Pacific Coast Director of the A^ar Shipping 
Ad.iinistration regarding any?* special problems in the longshore industry 
that vould delay'* vessels in that area. It also devised mccuis for vraiving 
collective bargaining rights when it found such a wai'vor to be in the 
interest of 'the war effort. 

Records .—Most of the Board's* records are in the Maritiiiic Com¬ 
mission's regional office in San Francisco, A few are in the files of the 
Office of the Deputy Adir^inistrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and 
Policies, in the Bureau of Managci^ient of the Maritime Coaimission' in ' 
Tfashington. . ■..;* * ■ 

Special Interdepartmental Co..mittcG on Maritmiie Labor .— This Co*m- 
i.iittce, composed of a representative of the Mar Shipping AdLmnistration 
as chairman and representatives of the Departmicnt of State ,and the 
Dcpart-ient of Justice, v/as established by a Presidential directive of 
February Ih, 19h2, Its function Y;as to coordinate all aspects of the 
progr£La dealing vd.th the stabilization and conservation of Allied maritime 
manpov;-cr. It rocoinmended the creation of the Recruitment and Manning 











- u.- 


Organization in the 'lar Shipping A-iainistration. By July 19h2 most 
of its work had been completed and any remaining problems were transferred 
to the Recruit-.ont and Running Organization. 

Records .—^liost of the records of this Goi.imitteo aro in the 
General Files of the itaritime Co:;mission^ the rest are interfiled v/ith 
records of the Commission's Legal Department. 

Seamen's Service Awards Gom-iittee .— The ’Jar Shipping Administration 
erv^cted this Coim.iittce to carry out the provisions of an act of Ray 10, 

19 U3 (5? Stat. 81 ). The Committee consisted of a chairi.ian fro].i the 'Jar 
Shipping Administration and six morfDers from the Maritii.ie Commission, 
the Coast Guard, and the J'ar Shipping Ad.iinistration. It authorized the 
issuance of ai';ards to officers and men of the United States Merchant 
Marine who had served since December 7, 19Ul on ilmerican flag ships or 
on ships operated for the Jar Shipping j^id.iinistration. On August 2k, 

19h^} the ComL.iittee w'as united with the Merchant Marine Medal Award 
Committee'of the Maritime Gommiission to fori.: the Merchant Marine Decora¬ 
tions and Medals Board, 

Records .— The records of this Cormiittcc (900 feet) are now- 
in the custody of the Bureau of Maritime Services of the Maritime Gom- 
i.iission, Thej'- include files relating to the issuance cf avrards to 
individual seamen and reports of vessels subjected in unusual :aeasure 
to onc^.-iy attack. 

Advisory Board on Just Co:;tpcnsation .— This Board, consisting of 
throe Federal judges appointed by the President, Tv'as created by an 
Executive order of October 15, 19U3j and operated 60 days. It was 
reestablished for 60 days by an Executive order of Septo-mber 10, 19Uh 
and extended for another 60 days by an Executive order of September 2li, ^ 
19^5. Its function v/as to "establish .fair and equitable standards, r-ules 
and foriaulae of general applicabilrby for the guidance of the 'v-’ar Shipping 
Administration in determining the just coi.ipensation to bo paid for all 
vessels requisitioned, purchased, chartered or insuTod by the Administra¬ 
tion." In carrying out this function the Board heard argu..:cnts by the 
Coi-iptroller General's staff, by the Jar Shipping Administration staff, 
and by counsel of the shipowners. 

Records .— Most of the records of this Bp>ard are in the GcncrdL 
Files of the Maritime Com.iission, A few are in the custody of the 
Commiission's General Counsel. 


J'ar Forwarding Corporation .— This Corporation was created by the 
Jar Shipping Administration on June 11, 1914 - 2 , to handle lend-lcase ship¬ 
ments moving to the Port of Nevf York, especially shipments of the British 
Ministry of 'Jar Transport, In addition to its owai personnel, :,!ho per¬ 
formed admiinistrativc functions, the Corporation made -use of the services 
of private forwarding companies and freight brokers in.New York City 
and some nineteen other ports for the physical movement of goods. 

Records .— The records of this Corporation,are, in thoMMaritime 
Commission*s Records Management Center at Hoboken, N, J, Very many 










records of this Corporation, in the I'aritiue Co;.i.iissign's Records IIana;^c~ 
inent Center at Hoboken, N, J., arci scheduled for destruction, but a core 
of icore iioportant records (20 feet) arc to be retained. 

D£iily Operations Committee .— This Coi.niittee, composed of representa¬ 
tives of the ’./ar Dep-arteient, the '/ar Shipping Ad..dnistration, the Office 
of Defense Trajisportation, and the British ..linistry of v.ar Transport, vas 
organized early in 19U2 to plan the moveLicnt of cargoes by inland and 
offshore water transportation. 

Records .— Some of the records of the Gomaittce arc interfiled 
aiAong the records of the Bureau, of Harjjie Operations of the Maritime 
CoLi-iission, 

Inter-Ai.'icrican Tcchmic-?! ILai^itiia c Coi^eiission .— This Comreission, 
organized in 19U0 as a subunit of the Inter-Amcrican Financial and Eco- 
noLiic Advisory Commission, was composed of representatives of the h'ar 
Shipping Adicinistration -and of the govorrmiCiits of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, 
Coloicbia, Ecuador, .icxico, Peru and Uraguay. The Technical l..aritii.iG Co;.i- 
mission planned for the efficient use of foreign-flag vessels lying 
inactive in ports of the imiorican continent, in order to expedite the 
movement of essential coim.iodities between the Ai:icricas. In a.greG:.ient 
mth the 'Jar Shipping Administratio.n, it }cade recommendations for the 
allocation of particular vessels and shipping lines to the several trade 
routes and the diversion of at least minimum shipping facilities to 
nations not adequately served. 

Records .— Some of the records of this Commiission are in the 
General Files of the United States llcaritimc Commission, and records bear¬ 
ing upon its activities Jtre. scattered through the files of a nuiohor of 
offices of the r^aritiiao Commission and of the War Shipping Adiainistration. 

See: U. S, Delegation to the Inter-Zmicrican maritime 

Conference, Washington, D. G,, 19h0, Report (19hl. U79 p.). 


Combined Shipping Adjustment Board .— On J.anu.ary 26, 19U2, the 
President of the United States and the Prime minister of Groat Britain 
announced the creation of the Combined Shipping Adjustment Board, which 
was to effect a harmonious policy for the better utilization of vessels 
under the control of the two nations. This Board consisted of tv;o panels, 
one in Washington and one in London, each directing, as a rule, its ovm 
shipping pool while maintaining close liaison with the other. Through 
these two panels it made a general survey of the utilization of ships in 
an effort to save tonnage by cliiminating duplication and preventing cross- 
hauling. It plamied the distribution of shipping among all activities, 
military and coi.roorcial,' and made arrangements with the VLar Shipping 
Adi.iinistration and the British ’.iinistry of '.Jar Transport to allocate ships 
in accordance with its plans. It consulted the shipping missions of other 
governiuents in order to make the most econoiuical use of all shipping avail¬ 
able to the United Nations, and it cooperated closely -.Ith the Allied 
military authorities in planning personnel movements f^r military tasks. 








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Under the Board, the Coi-iuittec on Shipping Ei.iploja.iont and Policy, 
composed of British and /uaerican officials,' coordinated in detail the 
vrork of shipping 'authorities in the tTfo countries. The Priorities and 
Allocations Co.^inittec, i.iade up of representatives of the 7Jar Shipping 
Administration, the Combined Raw. materials Board, the Ihinitions Assi,gn- 
ment Board, the British Food Uission, the Office of Lend-Lease Adviinis- 
tration, the Board of Economic T/arfare, the State Department, the Office 
of the Coordinator of Inter-Aiacrican Affairs, the Combined Food Board, 
and the Combined Production and Resources ’Board, advised the Combined 
Shipping Adjustment Board on allocation problems .and approved specific 
programs for specific services, ' - ■ 

Records .— The records of the Board (30 feet) consist of the 
loinutos and agenda of its meetings, which constitute a unit of the 
records of the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, 

;md Policies (see bolow), and recommendations, correspondence, and 
reports, in the custody of the Office of Interdepartmental Liaison of 
the l-IaritiiOe Com.dssion. A few of the Board’s records are interfiled 
among those of the severed, divisions most closely associated v^rith it 
and in the General Files of the Llaritii.ie Commission. 

United MaritL'ie Authority .— In August 19hh the governiacnts of 
Belgiuio, Canada, Greece, the Netherlamds, Norway, Poland, the United 
Kingdom, and the United States issued an ’'Agreement on Principles" 
outlining the need for a united effort to provide adequate ivartime 
shipping facilities. In this agreement the nations acknowledged their 
comiion obligation to supply shipping for all necessary military tasks, 
for provisioning all liberated areas, and for the general service of 
the United Nations. The agreement provided for the establishment of 
the United Llaritii'.ic Authority, composed of tv/o i.iajor subordinate agen¬ 
cies—the United '.laritii.ie Council and the United liaritL.ie Executive 
Board. This new Authority, :dnich largely replaced the Coi.ibined Ship¬ 
ping Adjusti.icnt Board, discussed above, supervised‘the use of avail¬ 
able shipping until x.ic?rch 2, 19U6, when it -was dissolved. During the 
period of its existence it operated through comL.iittces organized to 
handle specific problems, such as the allocation of ships, the econo¬ 
mic requirements of each nation, and the movoi.ient of military personnel. 

The Assistant to the Adiainistrator of the L'ar Shipping Administration 
represented his agency on both the United liarit Lao Council and the 
United Ilaritime Executive Board and served as Secretary of the Authority, 
and representatives of the V7ar Shipping Administration sat on most of 
the subordinate coixiittees. 

Records :— The records of the Authbrity (25 feet)'were pre- 7 
served as a unit among the records of the Assistant to the Adiainistrator of the 
Aar Shipping Administration and are noTT in the custody of the Office of Inter¬ 
departmental Liaison of the Llaritiiae Coi.imission, Copies of the minutes 
and agendae of meetings, reports, and some correspondence relating to 
the activities of the various committees are in the General Files of the 
i.i.aritii.ie Commission and the files of those units of the Aar Shipping 
Act-iinistration that had closest liaison v;ith the committees. 





Price Adjustnont Board .— This Board was established by a general 
order of the b'ar Shipping Ad^ainistration on February 12, 19h3, to "effect 
an expeditious and reasonable renegotiation of contract prices-." (8 F.R. 
20U3). The Board, which bo gan operations in No?; York on April 1^, 19 
consisted of representatives of the Fiscal, Operations, and Legal 
Divisions of the i7ar Shipping Administration and a fourth nember solGcte>.i 
by the Adi.dnistrator with the approval of the Chairman of the bbr Produc¬ 
tion Board to act as the Chairman's representative. As the Board's work 
increased, the Administrator appointed additional A'ar Shipping Board 
representatives to it. 

The Price Adjustment Board yfas responsible for controlling the 
profits and costs of contractors and for securing adjustments, reductions, 
or refunds in instances whore it was determined that costs or profits 
wore excessive. In its Y;ork of reviowijig contracts and subcontracts 
and in subsequent renegotiations, it worked closely with similar boards 
in the Tfar, Nav^*-, and Treasury Departments and in the United States l.Iari- 
tirac Coumiission. ’Jith the dissolution of the War Shipping Administration 
on September 1, IPa^, the function of renegotiating its contracts was 
transferred to the ilaritiiae Coj.'imission Price Adjustment Board...... 

Records .— Tho records of the V/ar Shipping Administration's Price 
Adjustment Board (100 feet) aro in the custody of the Price Adjustment 
Board of the Ilaritime Coomiission. They include reports of renegotiations, 
contracts, related correspondence, directives, and studies of the profits 
and costs of different phases of ship operations. 

Joint Reviev; Board .— This Board, created in Juno 19h3 at the 
request of the Director of the Office of War Lobilization, v:a3 composed 
of'the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Plarining, and Policies 
as Chairman, the Assistant Deputy Adi^iinistrator for Ship Control, the 
Executive Director of the Ilaritime Commdssion, the Director of the -Tech¬ 
nical Division, the Director of tho Finance Division, and a representative 
of the Office of'Jar diobilization as liaison. The Board,, .conducted .sur¬ 
veys of ship requirements 'vvith a view to making changes whenever necessary 
to meet ch-anging conditions. 

Records .— The Board's records arc interfiled among the records 
of the Deputy Adi.iinistrator for Vess-ol Utilization, Planning > and Poli¬ 
cies (see below), the records of the Bureau of Aarinc Operations of the 
maritime Coim-iission, and the General Files of the Aaritime Gomission. 

Coilimittee on Crev; Disciplinary Aatters .— This Coim.dtteG, created 
by an administrative order of January 11, 19^3, consisted of representa¬ 
tives of the Ship Operations Organization, the Aaritimc Labor Relations 
Organization, and tho Legal Division, It v;as directed to fori.iulate and 
determine policy with respect to all disciplinary matters on vessels 
under the control of the '..‘ar Shipping Ad.iinistratioh, It consulted with 
other Govern-ment agencies to see that reports of misconduct by aierchant 
seaimcn vrcre properly routed and promptly investigated; and it took steps 
to see that disciplinary measures vj-ere commiensurate i-lth the offenses, 
nondiscriminatory, corrective of any prevailing abuses, and proiaptly 
enforced, A large' part of its work was to correlate data and forv/ard it 
to the agencies directly responsible for the administrawion of discipline. 







0 


Records . Of the records of this GomAittce, some (50 feet) are 
maintained as a unit amon^^- the files of the Bureau of Llariti..ie Services of 
the IlaritLce Co'.riniissionj the rest are in the General Files of the ..maritime 
Goixiission. 


Goiioittce on Agency Terminations , This Goniiiittee, created in October 
19k^) vj-as responsible for establishing and administering, on behalf of the 
V.'ar Shipping Administrator and subject to his approval, policies ndth res¬ 
pect to operational and fiscal problems involved in agency terminations, 
vessel lay-ups, vessel vj-ithdravals, and related matters. 

Records . The records of this Gorm.-iittee are in the custody of 
the Bureau of harino Operations of the daritiime Gomimission. 

Gorimitteo on General Agency Assignments ,— In June .19U2 the Administrator 
of the hb.r Shipping Administration created the Goimaittee on General Agency 
Assigniments (subsequently referred to as the Gommittec on Allocations) to 
supervise the assignment of vessels in such way as to achieve maximuivi effi¬ 
ciency v/ith a mcindiuim of controversy. It made full investigations of the 
operating experience, financial responsibility, efficiency, and other perti¬ 
nent data regarding each established operator requesting assigniiient of vessels 
and'designation as a general agent for the V/ar Shipping Administration. In 
collaboration with the Barge and Tugboat Section of the Operations Division 
(later the Division of Small Vessel Operations) and the Division of Small 
Vessel Procurement of the war Shipping Administration, the Gomimittee exercised 
general.supervision over the allocation of tugs and barges to operators. 

Records .— Some of the records of this Goi-nmittec (5 feet) consisting 
of applications for designation as general agents, general correspondence re¬ 
lating to the appointment of general agents, and approvals or disapprovals of 
quota revisions, are in the National Archives, Other records (2 feet) con¬ 
stitute a unit in the files of the Bureau of !.larine Operations of the 
Maritime Coriimission, 


Comimittee on Vessel Gompcnsation <— This Com.iittce was established in 19i;2 
to conduct or direct the negotiations between the -./ar Shipping Administration 
and the ovmors of United States flag vessels in excess of 1,000 tons on the 
question of just compensation. It ’was abolished on Januaiy 9> 19U6; and its 
functions and records were transferred to the Division of Large Vessel 
Procurement, 


Records.— ^.lOst of the records of the Goiirmittec (2 feet) arc in 
the Maritime Gomimission’s Records Management Caitcr in .vashington. Some 
are in custody of the General Counsel of the Maritime Goixiission, 

Office of the Assistant to tlie Adiministrator . 

This Office was responsible for developing basic adr.iinistrativc policies 
and procedures for the V/ar Shipping Administration, The Assist.mnt to the 
Administrator served as general liaison officer for the './ar Shm.-ping Admin¬ 
istration and represented it on a number of interdepartmental committees. 

He also performed any special duties assigned to him by the Alwinistrator. 
..xost of his functions 'were transferred to the Interdepartmental Liaison 
Officer of the V/aritiimc Coimmission on Januar^^ 1, 19U7. 

Records .— Most of the records of the Office vj-ore sent to the General 
Files of the Maritime Commission, Those that v/ero maintained vd.thin the 










- 9 - 


Office (30 feet), including soiiie correspondence and niLaerous reports of the 
various co:.imittees. and, boards upon which the Acbdnistration v/as represented, 
are in custody of the Office of Intsrdeparti.iontal Liaison of the :.faritine 
Co,.ii:iission, • • 

Legal-Division ■ 

The Legal Division of the L'ar Shipping Ad:„iinistration, under the super¬ 
vision of the General Counsel, was responsible for handling all the legal af¬ 
fairs, of the Adiiiinistration. It outlined, for adiiiinistrativc guidance, the 
basic legal authority of the Administrator and prepared necessary orders and 
directives, notices of requisition to ovaiors, delivery receipts, and other 
formal documents. It issuod legal bulletins on the responsibility .of agents 
of the 'Var Shipping Administration in carrying out contracts for matorials or 
services necossary for the o].x;ration of vessels; the adjustment of claims made 
against vessels; the handling of towage contracts; the handling of legislative 
matters pertaining to the '.‘ar Shipping Administration; the liability of ves¬ 
sels for port charg’os in ikiorican and foreign 2')orts; questions of tax iim.iunity 
under State, Federal, and foroi.;n la’/s; questions arising under custo-:is and 
navigation iav:s; various labor problems, such as n-ages and allotments and the 
discipline of serjacn; aiid other matters involving interpretation of the la;?. 

It gave advice upon disputed clai is arising under '’General Agency A.gree-.ients," 
Y.lth regard to such matters as the amiount of agency compensation, the recap¬ 
ture of excessive profits, and the disallov/ance of ite..iS in voyage accounts. 

It assisted the Foreign Sconomic Ad-dnistration in negotiating reciprocal aid 
arrangements for ..ar Shipping Administration vessels in ports of the United 
Nations, It cooperated with the An.iy, the Nayy^, the State Depart..ient, the 
Ibaritiime b'ar Emergency Boar-d, and the British binistry of '/ar Transport. 

In addition to its headquarters office in '.iashington, the Division eiain- 
tained offices at the ports of New Y.ork, San Francisco and Nemv Orleans and 
in the United Kimgiom, the ’.IcditGrranG.an, the South Pacific, and India. 

Records .— ^dost of the records of the Division are in the General 
Files of the blaritiivic Go-miission. The records that vrere maintained rdthin 
the Division (25 feet), consisting chiefly of confidontial correspondence 
and files on litigated cases, arc in the custody of the Bureau of Lav/ of 
the Llaritimc Commission, bony of the records of the field offices are 
still in the legal field offices of the l..aritimic Oomimission; some arc in 
the records mana.gemcnt centers at Hoboken, N, J., an;’. Riclmiond, Glif. 


Division of Personnel Ilanagemcnt 


This Division was established on February 22, 19h3, to supervise person¬ 
nel matters in the b'ar Shipping Administration, a function previously dis¬ 
charged by the Division of Personnel in the ..aritiime Gommission. The new 
Division planned organizational structures, ...ado studies of personnel needs, 
rendered counseling, health, and training services to omployoos of the Admin¬ 
istration, and handled all other personnel matters that arose. It had field 
offices in Nov; York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Now Orleans, and San Francisco. On 
'..lay 8, 19UU, its functions v/cre again transferred to the Division of Personnel 
in the 'baritl-xG Commission. 

Records.— The records of the Division arc interfiled aimong those of the 
Division of Personnel in the Bureau of ..management of the maritime Commission, 





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Office of the Coordinator of Ship Defense Installations 

This Office was established by acLiinistrative order on February'19, 
I9U2, to bo responsible for the installation of defensive equipnent on 
all vessels constructed by the Llaritime ConiLiission end controlled by 
the 'Jar Shipping Adi:iinistration, and after the cessation of hostilities 
it was iuade responsible for the renoval of ariuaiuent and defensive oquip- 
nent frou merchant vessels. The torpedo net depots, in charge of the 
nets used for harbor defense, were under the direction of the Coordinator, 

Records .— The records of this Office (20 feet), including corres¬ 
pondence, reports, directives, ship plans, specifications, and ..lemoranda 
pertaining to the installation and removal of defensive equipment, are 
in the National Archives, 




Ofiice Ox the Doputy Adi.iinistrator for Construction 


The Office of-the Deputy Administrator for Construction was respon¬ 
sible, on behalf of the Administrator, for coordinatin'.; the ship c'^nstruc- 
tion program of ‘ the iiaritiue Co..oission vdth the requirements of the hoar . 
Shippin;^ Adu.iinistration for nevr vessels. It was larcoly a ’’paper” organi¬ 
zation vrLth no' subordinate units since most of its functions were related 
more closely to the construction program of the Coi.mission than to the . 
work of the ''./ar Shipping Arlainistration, The Deputy. Administrator for 
Co'nstruction acted .as head of the bmr Shipping Act.iinistration -vvhen the 
Ad:.iinistrator was absent, Ke also served as a member of the '.'ar Shipping 
Acbiinistration Policy Commiittcc, . 

Records .— Nearly all of the records of the Office are cither in the 
General Files of the Llaritimc Cormiission or interfiled among the records 
of the Technical Division of the Llaritime Go;m.:ission. 







Office of the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization 

Planning, and Policies 


This Office was responsible for directing the utilization and operation 
of all merchant vessels under the jurisdiction of the War Shipping Adminis¬ 
tration. The Deputy Administrator formulated plans and policies to guide 
the War Shipping Administration and other agencies of the Government in 
making the best possible use of the shipping that was available to meet the 
needs of the armed forces, of industry, of Allied and neutral countries, and 
of American civilians. By means of a complex organization of Assistant 
Deputy Administrators, Divisions, Sections, and other subordinate units, he 
directed the operation of a vast fleet of ships of all kinds and sizes. The 
structure of the organization under his direction was changed a number of 
times. On January 1, 1947, his continuing functions were transferred to 
various units of the Maritime Commission. 

Records .—Some of the records of this Office are in the General Files 
of the Maritime Commission, Those that were maintained within the Office 
(45 feet), including correspondence, surveys of laid-up vessels, cables, 
memoranda, time studies, reserve-fleet reports, and records of various kinds 
pertaining to the activities of the Pacific Coast Maritime Industry Board, 
the Cargo Clearance Committee, the Cargo Forwarding Committee, the Combined 
Military Transportation Committee, the Joint Military Transportation Com¬ 
mittee, the United Maritime Executive Board, the Combined Shipping Adjustment 
Board, the Interdepartmental Shipping Priorities Committee, and the Inter¬ 
agency Committee to Coordinate Exports of Civilian Supplies, are now in the 
custody of the Bureau of Management of the Commission, In the National 
Archives are the recor*ds of the Special Assistant to the Deputy Adminis¬ 
trator, Maxwell Brandwen (10 feet), and of other assistants to the Deputy 
Administrator (4 feet), who dealt v.dth allocations, and shipping requirements. 

Port Utilization Committee 


This Committee was established under the Special Assistant to the Deputy 
Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies to coordinate 
the movement of ocean freight in such a way as to avoid congestion and pro¬ 
mote the most effective utilization of United States ports. 

Records .—The records of this Committee (6 feet) are in the custody of 
the Bureau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Commission. They include 
a general subject file, reports pertaining to ship activities, a"port 
activity file, and convoy charts. 

Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Control 


This Office, established in June 1942, was responsible for the develop¬ 
ment of economic policies and methods for increasing the amount of available 
shipping. It gathered general information and statistical data on vessel 
and port activities and the shipping requirements of the United States, ship 
positions, port operations, the origin of essential imports, ship gains and 
losses, wastage of ship time, and the use of cargo space. It maintained 









- 13 - 


liaison vdth the Army and the Nav;j^ to determine their shipping needs, 
allocated all dry-cargo vessels for carrying outbound cargoes, and assigned 
vessels to particular ports in the United States for loading and unloading. 

It also supervised United States shipping services in other parts of the 
world, coordinating the allocation of ships, routing vessels back to the 
United States, and supervising United States traffic in-foreign areas. 

The Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Control advised the Admin¬ 
istrator and the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning., and 
Policies, For a brief period (Movember 13, 1943-Febmain/- 5^ 1944) he v:as 
knovfli as an Associate Deputy Administrator, with an Assistant Deputjr Admin¬ 
istrator for Allocations and an Assistant Deputy Administrator for Shipping 
Services subordinate to him. In March 1944 his Office was abolished and its 
divisions were placed directly under the Deputy Administrator for Vessel 
Utilization, Planning, and Policies or.were transferred to the supervision 
of other Assistant Deputy Adr/dnistrators, 

Records ,—Some'of the records of this Office are in the General Fdles 
of the Maritime Commission; others have been interfiled, among the'records 
of the Divisions that were under his control, that are discussed ..immediately 
belov;. The Assistant Deputy Ad^dnistrator’s records relating to shipments 
of lend-lease cargoes to Russia, 1942-4^ (24 feet), are in the National 
Archives, 

Division of Allocations and Assir:nments .—This Division was created 
by an adninistnative order of April 3> 1942, to handle the allocation of 
vessels carrying outbound cargoes and the assigimient ,of vessels to parti¬ 
cular ports for loading and unloading. It made its allocations and assign¬ 
ments in compliance with eligibility and quota policies fixed by the Com¬ 
mittee on General Agency Assignments, Its principal functions were performed 
by eleven sections, each responsible for opers-tions .in a-particular geo- 
graphi.cal 'area. These sections follovred the activities of Ivar ,;’Shipping 
Administration vessels in their respective areas, planned schedules-for- 
sailings and for the handling of vessels at the ports of discharge, and took 
such action as v:as necessary to achieve the greatest -possible’ efficiency 
of operation. The Vessel Registry Section maintained records of vessel 
assignments made by the VJar Shipping Administration and prepared geographical 
analyses of daily assigniaents, , , ; 

* The Division was at first under the supervision of the Director General 
of Shipping of the VJar Shipping Administration. From November 13, 1943,-to 
February 15, 1944, it was known as the Division of Allocations; and it was 
made subordinate to the Office of the Assistant Deputy Adiiinistrator for 
Allocations, its function? vdth respect to assignment being transferred to , 
the Shipping Areas Division, After .March 1944 it-reported directly to the 
Deputy Administrator for Vee'sel Utilization, Planning and Policies, . . 

Records .—The records of the Division (40, feet), now in-the 
National Archives, include a general subject file, a Director's file of 
reports, a file of cards on vessels lost by eneiny action.or marine perils, 
correspondence relating to the allocation pf ships, and miscellaneous reports. 





Security and Communications Division .—In order to control information 
about ship movements and casualties, the Ship Control Section was created 
in December 1941 in the Division of iilmergency Shipping of the Maritime 
Commission, This Section was later transferred to the Operations Division 
of the V/ar Shipping Administration; and on October 21, 1942, it was expanded 
into the Security and Communications Division and put under the Assistant 
Deputy Administrator for Ship Control. In April 1944 the Division was taken 
out of the Office of the Assistant Deputy Aciriinist rat or for Ship Control and 
put directly under the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, 
and Policies. 

The Division drafted security orders and rules of procedure and checked 
upon their observance. It disseminated information through restricted chan¬ 
nels vdth respect to marine and v;ar-risk casualties suffered by vessels of 
the United Nations. It supplied information on current movements and 
positions of vessels to shipowners, operators, agents, and others requiring 
such information. Through its Documents Dispatch Office it supervised the 
forwarding of manifests and stowage plans to agents of the Mar Shipping 
Adirdnistration abroad for cargoes being sent to their respective areas. 

It cooperated mth the Navy Department in arrangements for convoying, rout¬ 
ing, and diverting ships; and it maintained contact with other divisions of 
the V/ar Shipping Administration to determine what incoming ships should be 
detached from convoys or diverted and brought to other ports than their 
original destination. 

The Division was abolished on June 26, 1946; and its functions were 
transferred to the Maritime Comiuission — those regarding ship diversions 
and vessel caaualties being assigned to the Division of Vessel Operations 
and all others being assigned to the Office of the Secretary. 

Records .—Some of the records of the Division (97 feet), consist¬ 
ing largely of vessel-casualty reports, personnel-investigation reports, 
ship-movement data, diversion requests, crew diaries, and convoj'- lists, are 
in the custody of the Bureau of MaritLme Services of the Maritime Commission; 
others are in the Commission's Records Management Center in 'Washington. 

Division of Statistics and Research .—This Division was created in the 
V/ar Shipping Administration on April 3, 1942, with personnel from the Mari¬ 
time Commission. It was given responsibility for collecting, assembling, and 
tabulating statistical information on increases and decreases in the number 
of merchant vessels and on the emplo;ymient and operation of vessels under the 
control of the Administration. It maintained "log cards" on daily vessel 
movements, positions, performance, and allocations. It collected, edited, 
and prepared for tabulation current statistical data on cargo movements by 
tonnage and commodities. It prepared special reports on the ships employed 
and the tonnage movements in special programs such as the movement of bauxite 
from Trinidad, the movement of coal to New England, the export of essential 
supplies .to Puerto Rico, and the movem.ent of goods to the UWS.S.R. The 
Division also prepared reports on ship performance, analyzed the efficiency of 
vessel loading and the extent to vhich complete vessel capacity was used, pre¬ 
pared ten-day and. monthly' statistical reports on entrances and departures at 
the different ports, and analyzed such problems as domestic and foreign port 
congestion. 





The Division vvas supervised by the Assistant Deputy Adirdnistrator 
for Ship Control from June 3, 19U2, until March 19^4, when it was made 
directly responsible to the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, 
Planning, and Policies. Upon the dissolution of the War Shipping 
Administration the functions of the Division were transferred to the 
Research Division of the Maritime Commission. 

Records .—The Division's records (200 feet), include statistical 
data, reports on vessels engaged in foreign or noncontiguous trade of the 
United States and on the utilization of the carrying capacities of vessels, 
logs of vessels, cargo manifests, time and labor studies, and general 
correspondence. Some of these records are in the Research Division, Bureau 
of Government Aids of the Maritime Commission; others are in the Conmiission's 
Records Management Center in Washington. 

D ivision of Ship Requirements. —This Division was created on April 3, 
I9I4.2, and was made responsible to the Chief Adviser of the YiTar Shipping • 
Administration. In June 19U2 it v/as transferred to the Office of the , 
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Control and in March I9UU to the 
Office of the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, planning, and 
Policies. Its functions ’.vere to ascertain the amount of shipping needed 
and the tonnage available for imports and exports and to make plans for 
the .employment of all United States shipping. It received from the 
shipping missions of Allied and neutral governments in the United States 
and from the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration 
programs covering shipments from North and South America to all except 
the Latin American and Caribbean areas. It deterr.iined vdiat volume of 
shipping could be allocated to each program and set up schedules for 
loading with respect to each. It negotiated mtli tlie Navy and the Army 
concerning their requirements and received from them information on future 
shipping requirements. It prepared estimates of all demands to be made 
upon War Shipping Administration tonnage and the amount of shipping that 
vrould probably be available to meet these demands, and .it ..studied the 
suitability of .various types of vessels for particular shipping programs. 

The Division coordinated shipping space vdth commodity availability, 
maintaining liaison for this purpose vdth national and.international 
supply agencies and representing the War Shipping Administration on the 
Combined Coal Gommittee, the United States Food Requirement and Allocation 
Committee, and similar bodies. It also re;presented the, Shipping 
Administration on the Joint Military Transportation Gomiaitteo and its 
subcommittees in discussions of strategic plans. On June 30,, 19U35 the 
functions previously performed by the Division of Sconomic Policy and 
the Division of Cargo Requirements were transferred to the Division of 
Ship iic quirements. 

Re cords .—Most of the Division's re cords ..of permanent value 
are in the General Files, of the Maritime Commission. . They. include 
correspondence, studies, recommendations,.and reports-on its activities. 

A fev; of its records (lO feet) are in the custody of the. Bureau of 
Marine Operations of the Commission and some (6 feet) are, in the 
National Archives. 





Division of Economic Policy .—This Division was established on 
April 3, I9U2, under the Chief Adviser of the IVar Shipping Adrainistration 
to study the economic consequences of diverting ships from their normal 
trade routes. In June 19U2 it v^ras transferred to the Office of the 
assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Control. It revievfed projects 
and recommendations prepared by the Division of Ship Requirements and 
the Division of Cargo Requirements to determine their economic implica¬ 
tions. ,It maintained liaison with the War Production Board to report 
on the cumulative achievement of the War Shipping Administration in 
moving essential war materials. On Juno 30, 19U3, its functions were 
transferred to the Division of Ship Requirements, 

Records .—Some of the Division’s records (9 feet) are in the 
Bureau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Commission. These consist 
chiefly of reports and related correspondence pertaining to the economic 
consequences of transferring ships from normal trade to v;artime acti^d- 
ties. A few of the Division’s records are in the General Files of the 
Maritime Commission. 


Division of Cargo Requirements .—This Division vj-as established on 
April 3, I9U2, as the Division of Vessel Smplo;;ynmcnt, to make studies and 
surveys of the various export programs of foreign and domestic government 
agencies concerned with the shipment of goods from the United States. 

It analyzed statistics on exports from the United States, over'-all 
commodity requirements of the several areas to vmich shipping services 
were operated by the War Shipping ^idiiiinistration, and foreign shipping 
programs, interpreting them for interested dr/isions of the IVar Shipping 
Administration. The. functions of this Division, which served successively 
under the Chief Adviser and the Assistant Deputy iidi-^mnistrator for Ship 
Control, v/ere transferred to the Division of Ship Reauirements on 
June 30, I9U3. 

Records .—The Division’s records, consisting of surveys and 
studies of export programs (6 feet), are in the National Archives. A few 
records reflecting the activities of the Division are in the General Files 
of the Commission. 

Bauxite Division .—This Di’^/ision was established in October I9U2 
by the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies 
in response to a demand of aluminura plants in the United States for 
greater supplies of bauxite from Trinidad and Guiana. Before this time 
the allocation of vessels to this trade had been a part of the f'anction 
of the Allocations and.Assignments Di\dsicn. 

The Bauxite Division had full authority over the movement of ba'oxite 
by water to the United States. Its Director established orranizatiens 
in Trinidad and other ports and made arrangements for securing repair, 
terminal, and other facilities. The Di\dsion made studies of the bauxite 
trade, of mining conditions, of facilities for moving bauxite to the 
ports, and of the availability of a continuing supply of bauxite for 
loading a large number of vessels. It took measures to improve the 







movement of supplies and equipment from the United States to the Trinidad 
area; and it supervised a shuttle service between the Guiana ports and 
Trinidad. To administer the progrcim locally, a Director and a staff 
of port captains, engineers, and other specialists were set up in Port- 
of'••-Spain, Trinidad. 

The Bauxite Division was subordinate to the Assistant Deputy 
Adr;iinistra.tor for Ship Control from the time of its establishiacnt until 
November 19^3^ when it was transferred to the Office of the ^issistant 
Deputy Administrator for Shipping Services. In March 19Uu it was 
returned to the office of its original affiliation, but in May I9UU it 
was again transferred to the Office of the assistant Deputy Administrator 
for Ship Operations. On December 13, 19UU, it Y/as abolished,'"and its 
functions were transferred to the Caribbean and CoastYrLso Section of the 
Division of Traffic. 

Records .—^?fcst of the Division’s records (25 feet), censisting 
chiefly of correspondence, studies of the bauxite trade, md daily, 
accounts of the shipment of bauxite, are in the custody of the. Traffic 
Division, Bureau of Government .lids, of the Maritime Cemruission. ■ A fev;- 
arc in the Cominissicn’s General Files. 


Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Allocations 

This Office, responsible to the Associos-to Deputy -administrator for 
Ship Control, existed from November 13, 19U3, to February 15,. 19AU. During 
this short period it supervised the activities of the Division of Alloca¬ 
tions. The Assistant Deputy Jidministratcr in charge of the Office acted 
as chairman of the Port Utilization Committee and represented the War 
Shipping adirdnistraticn' on the Joint Military Transportation Gc.amittee 
and the Combined Military Trconspcrtation Committee. Upon the dissolution 
of the Office its subordinate unit became directly responsible to the 
Assistant Deputy -idministrator for Ship Control, as had been the case 
before its csta.blishment. 

Recor ds.— Most of the records of the Office are interfiled among 
those of the Division ^'f Allocations, now in the National Archives. A 
fovf are in the General Files of the Maritime Commission. 





- 18 


Office the Assistrjit Deputy Alainistrator for Shippin.'v Sorviccs 

This Office, responsible to the ii.ssociato Deputy Adi.iinistrator for 
Ship Control, existed only froro Novcr.ibcr 13, 1943, to Februarj'- l5, 19^4^. 
Durinr this period it fon.iilatcd policies v:ith regard to shipping vser- 
viccs and had general supervision over the activities of the Shipping.; 

Areas Division, the Bauieite Division, orxd the Forciii,'n Service Division, 

It also handled adiuinistrativc problens relatin;/ to personnel of the 
‘Jar Shijopin^- Ad:.iinistration in forei;jn areas. Upon the abolition of 
the Office, its functions Y;erc transferred to the Assistant Deputy 
Aduinistrator for Ship Control, 

Records,—A fc'VY of the records of the Office arc in the General Files 
of the Liaritiioo Coixiission, Others arc interfiled ai.ionp the records of 
the Traffic Division, Bureau of Governi.icnt Aids, of the Ilaritiue, Cox.iission, 

Division of Shipping Areas .— This Division, subordinate to the 
Assist-"Jit Deputy Ad:.iinistrator for Shipping,- Services, laas created on 
Novexiber 13, 19U3, to ascertain shi^opinp requircuents necessary for 
carrying car joes to and froi.i various p-cop-raphical areas. It detcrr.iined 
the tyvoes of vessels that could handle different kinds of c'lrgo and 
v/hether carp’oes iiere available at ports to keep the vessels aovirij; and 
it issued orders to the field representatives of the Adixinistration 
rCf.;ardini^: the use. to be made of allocated vessels in foreign ports. In 
darch I9UU the functions and records of the Division, except those per- 
taininr to the Russian Shipping Area, iicrc transferred to the Traffic 
Division. The Section dealini^: with the Russian /area ’.;as aade a separate 
office and is described below (See page 39). 

Records ,— Sone of the records of this Division ane in the 
General Files of the llaritiue Co-.Lj.ission; sone are in the custody?’ of 
the Traffic Division of the Con^iaission's Bureau of Govern..icnt Aids; and 
sono arc in the Coixiission* s Record I.Ianagenent Center in ■ Washington. 

Office of the Assistant Deputy Adiainistrator for Ship Operations 

This Office, under the Deputy A.k.iinistrator for Vessel Utiliza¬ 
tion, Planning and Policies, was created on June 3, 19U2, It. was respon¬ 
sible for all uatters relating to the operation of the vessels (except 
tugs and barges) under the control of the ".Tar Shipping Adi.iinistration, 

It carried out general policies of the Adi.iinistrator and for.iulated 
specific policies necessaiD/ for control of the physical operation of the 
United States ucrchant fleet, ThroUfjh its divisions in '.Washington and 
representatives in ports tliroughout the v:orld, it scheduled and coordinated 
supervision over bunkering, equipping, stevedoring-, loading and discharg¬ 
ing vessels, lighterage, teruinal operations, forwarding operations, and 
the keeping of necessary shipuent records. A Special Assistant in the 
Office handled special operating problems; examined all rccor.racndations, 
instructions, regulations, and orders prepared by the Assistant Deputy 
Aduinistrator; and revicYj-ed all natters involving questions of policy 
and procedure. Upon the dissolution of the VWar Shipping Adi.iinistration, 
the functions of the Office Yicrc transferred to the Operations Depart- 
uent of the laritixAo Corxiission, 








~ 19 - 


Records .— Host of the correspondonco of this Office, except that of 
a secret nature, is in the General Files of the Llaritrie Coixiission. The 
records that were maintained within the Office (U5 feet), includin£; the 
secret;correspondence, arc now in the custody of the Bureau of I.Iarinc Opera¬ 
tions of ^the - Corroission, Those include cables from ’far Shipping, A(i.;inistra- 
tion representatives in foreign ports; correspondence relating to lend-lease 
to maintenance and repair, and to structural changes in vessels; sinnary 
statcLients of consuiable stores and expendable equipment; ship-movo:.ient 
reports; vessel particulars; ship plans; and notices of change in allocatior-; 

Division of Traffic ,— This Division, an outgrovrbh of a section in 
the Division of Eiaergency Shipping of the Ilaritiiiie Coimiission, -vms set up 
in February 19U2, On June 3, 19U2, it was assigned to the Office’ of the 
Assistant Deputy Adr.iinistrator for Ship Operations, vdiere it continued 
until the end of the war. Its principal function was to xjrovide general 
supervision over the movement of cargoes and the transport of civilian 
and i.iilitary passengers to, from, -and between the 'vvar fronts and combat 
areas. In close cooperation mth the Division of Allocations and Assign¬ 
ments, it handled all questions of traffic policy relating to the conduct 
of shipping services on vessels controlled by the b'ar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion or by allied or neutral nations. It exercised general sup.'ervision 
over policies .with respect to forv/arling, from inj.and points of origin, 
lend-lease and other shipi.ionts consigned by the iir;.iy and the Nav^r to 
themselves. It scheduled the outward movement of cargoes in accordance 
v;ith the requirements of the agencies concerned and the movement of import 
cargoes in accordance v/ith priorities established Irf the Har Frqduction 
Board, It received and filed shipping docunents (nuch as’voyage charters, 
dock receipts, and bills of lading); it drafted new docui.ient 'forms to 
insure uniform reporting of shipping operations; it reviewed clai:.is for 
the refund of revenue; and it occasionally audited the records of shipping 
conpanies to see that uniform freight rates were cliargcct. In Llarch 19.UU 
it took over most of the. functions of the Ship^ping Area Division of the 
Office of the Assistant Deputy Ach’ainistr’ator for Ship Control,' and in 
December of the sai'.ie year it assumed those of the Bauxite Division,. 

The Division.had field offices’in eleven shipping areas (East Coast 
of South i'miorica; '.'Gst Coast of South Aixrica;' Southv;est Pacific; India; 
Vu'est, South, and East Africa; United Kingdom; North and East Russia and 
the Persian Gulf; Caribbean; mediterranean and Red Sea; Nrth Atlantic; 
and the coasts of the United States), tlirough which it maintained contact 
with the *.'ar Shipping Ailninistration. representatives in nearly ever;^^ 
important port. Upon the dissolution of the Har Shipping Adi’.’d.nistration 
the Division's functions y^qtg transferred to the .Traffic Division in the 
Operations Depart.xnt of the liaritimo Gomi.iission, 

Records ,— most of the Division’s records that wore not classi¬ 
fied for security are in the Central Files of the maritLmG Commission, 

Those that were so classified (1^0 feet) YicrQ maintained wdthin the Divi¬ 
sion and arc now partly in the custody of the -Traffic Division, Bureau 
of Government Aids, of the I.laritimc Cvoixiission and partly in the Commis¬ 
sion’s Records Llanagoment Center in Washington, /miong the classified 
records are ship files for each of the areas under supervision; ship-sub¬ 
sidy files; correspondence vith ship companies, fenvarding concerns, 





- 20 - 


foreij^n representatives, and Governi.ijnt agencies; reports on exports and 
iiiiports shipped by various tyi^es of carrier; reports frou foreign and 
doioestic field representatives of the Division; allocation teletypes; 
cables; card files shov^ring the activities of every vessel under the 
Division's control; and records of the various units vmose functions the 
Division took over. All of the records have been declassified. The records 
of the Division's field offices are being concentrated in the records 
uanageroent centers of the Liaritino Comiission at Hoboken N, J,, and 
Richiiiond, Calif. 

Division of Foreign Servic e.—This Division -vvas established on 
Septer-tber 17, 19ii2, to provide an adiainistrativc unit for coordinatinG 
and directing the activities of '.Tar Shipping Ad..iinistration offices 
abroad. It regularized policies and procedures for a.ll the agency's 
foreign offices and integrated the various areas.of jurisdiction over 
personnel. It i.iade continuous evaluations of the handling- of shipping 
progra.u:s in fcr eign ports. It :.iade studies of the future needs f or 
personnel as changing' ..dlitarj'- and operational considerations oiight 
dictate. It also served the foreign offices as a channel for necessary 
liaison vdth each other and vdth the several offices in '.Washington, 

The Division was responsible to the Assistant Deputy Administrator 
for Ship Operations until November 13, 19143, when it was transferred • 
to the Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Shipping Services, 

On January l5, 19UU, it was transferred to the Assistant Deputy Ad:.:inis~ 
trator for Ship Control; and in l.Iarch 19UU it vras put directly under 
the Deputy Adi.iinistrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies, 

Its functions and recoivls were transferred to the Operations Dcpart:.ient 
of the ’.laritine Corxiission on January 1, 19U7« 

Records .— The records of the Division (20 feet), nov; in the 
custody of the 'Bureau of Harino Operations of the Tlaritiuc Comission, 
include folders for personnel of the Administration abroad and corres¬ 
pondence vdLth the Adi.iinistration's representatives in foreign ports. 

Division of Foreign Charters and Ship 'Aarrants .— This Division 
was an outgrowth of the Ship '.Yarrants Section, vhich was esta'olished 
in the Division of Ei.iergency Shipping of the AoritLae Co-maission in 
July 1914 !. It undemvent a nuiaber of ad..iinistrative changes during the 
period of its existence, D'hen the A'ar Shipping Adi.iinistration was 
established on February 7, 19U2, the Ship "Yarrants Section Y;as attached 
to its Operations Division, On November II4, 19143, the Section was made 
a Division, responsible-to the Assistant Deputy iYdioinistrator for Ship 
Control; and on Aarch 19; I 9 I 4 U, it was transferred to the supervision 
of the Assistant Deputy Aduainistrator for Ship Operations. 

' The Division actainistered the licensing program under which /maorican 
flag and foreign-flag vessels of 90 or more gross tons were'required 
to obtain ship warrants in order to receive priorities and other bene¬ 
fits from the United States, During a part of 19hU and-19)45 it handled 
all fiscal matters relating to the procurement of vessels in the United 
States by Allied and neutral governiaents. It also supervised all matters 






- 21 - 


related to the charterin*;;^ of privately ovmed foreipn-flaj'; vessels. The 
Director of the Division acted as Chairu-an of the Co.-oittee on Rate 
Appeals >and of the Shippinf^ Facilities Cornaittee of the United Liarithae 
Authority, 


On June 26, 19hh, the Division v.vas assigned to the Office of the 
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Fiscal Affairs, Yv'here it roiaained until 
that Office was abolished on October 11, 1945# At that time its functions 
relating to ship warrants T;ere transferred to the Division of Regulation 
dn the maritime Commission but vfere .made subject to the general supervision 
of the Tfar Shipping Adi.iinist ration’s Deputy Achiinistr at or for Vessel 
Utilization, Planning, and Policies; and its foreign chartering functions 
were transferred to the now Division of Foreign Charters, vhich reported 
at first directly to the Deputy Adodnistrator for Vessel 'Utilization, 
Planning, and Policies and after January 191+6, to the Assistant' 

Deputy Achiinistrator for Charters and Valuations, The Fcrolgn Charters 
Division was abolished in September 1946, • .... 

Records ,— Some of the records of the Division of Foreign Charters 
and Ship "Warrants (1? feet), including correspondence about foreign charter 
agrocv.icnts, a file of agreements with private oYjners, reports, and other 
papers relating to foreign-flag charters of dry-cargo vessels and tankers, 
are in the custody of tlie Records majiagei.iont Center of the maritduo Com^ 
mission-in Ifashini^ton, Its ship warrants and related correspondence 
(90 feet) are in the National Archives, - • 

Vessel Operations Division .— In February I 9 I 4.2 the Di^dsion of 
Operations Yvas created to supervise the- physical operation of all vessels 
.under the control of the -Tar Shipping Administration, -This function had 
previously been assigned to the Division of Oge rations and Traffic in 
the I.Iaritii.ie Cori.iission', h'ith the increase in the' size., of the imierican 
merchant fleet and the resultant exp<ansion in its activities, the' Divi¬ 
sion was split into three on April 19-, 19UU (Visual Operations Division; 
Division of Operating Contracts; and Division of Food Control), each 
responsible to the Assistant Deputy Acl.iinistrator for Ship Operations, 

The Vessel Operations Division adi.iinistored activities related to the 
actual operation of tho vessels, such as crev/ing, storing, e'qu.lpping, 
bunkering, ballasting, and physical perfor..iance. Actual operation of 
vessels taken over by the Viar Shipping Administration'through its pro¬ 
curement prograei or produced Under the I.Iaritimo Co-m.iiGsion’s c onstruction 
prograia vras placed in the hands of companies operating under the ALicrican 
flag, who. becai.ie agents of the l/ar Shipping Administration. The A.dminis- 
tration had operating control ox'-ail merc.hant ships, and the shipping 
companies vrorc paid stipulated fees for their services as its agents and 
charter hire for their vessels as provided in service ai;ree..ients. Upon 
the'liquidati'on of the V/ar Shipping Ad.Unistration tho functions of the 
Vessel Operations Division vfere transferrod'to . the-Idarine-Division of 
the Operations Depart, icnt of the Ilaritiuc Coi.^.dssion, 




- 22 - 


Records ,— Host of the records of the Vessel Operations Division 
vere iiaintainecl by its sections described bolo-’.v. Its correspondence is in. 
the General Files of the llaritiioe Cor.i.iissicn, 

Harine Operations. Section,— This Section handled natters relating.-; 
to the proper r.ianning, storing,., and supplying: of ships. It acted as 
liaison betvfoen the War Shippi^^C A'ii'.iinistration and its general agents, 
and for the guidance of the latter it sot up stondards of operational 
practice on all vessels ouned by the '.Tar Shipping Aduinistration or under 
bare-boat charter. It assisted gcner-al agents in procuring f^oci supplies 
until July 19143 and thereafter aided the nevfly organized Food Control 
Section in building up on emergency stockpile of foods. It ivorked out 
tables of food requiror.icnts for vVar Shipping Ad-iinistration .and Allied 
Vessels. It also supervised, the ariiiing of merchant ships of the Allied 
nations; r-iade arrangeaents for the use of Allied and neutral alien officers 
to assure the proupt sailing of new vessels in the nerchant service; and 
provided assistance in establishing stockpiles of r.iachinery replacer.ient 
parts and other supplies in foreign areas. 

■ The Section vms represented on the CoiXiittee on Greyf Disciplinary 
Hatters and on the Crev.'s Quarters Connittee. It cooperated with the Ariay, 
the Navy, the Navy, the Defense Supp>lies Corporation, the 'Jar Production 
Board, and the Crev/s Quarters Cor.inittee in providing health protection 
on vessels, better facilities for the coiifort of merchant seanicn, and 
adequate navigation .aids. In cooperation v.dth the Hedical Director, it 
supervised the repatriation of seaiien who had been stranded in foreign 
countries or 7;ere prisoners of war. In addition to its Washington office, 
it had district offices in New York City, Ne¥v Orleans, and San Francisco. 

Rocords .— The records of this Section (230 feet) are in 
the custody of the Bureau of Llarinc Operations of the Haritiaic Go..uiission, 
They include correspondence pertaining to the diversion of ships, the 
overpayaent of wages, and the failure to deduct allotncnts; bills of lad¬ 
ing; purchase orders for consui.iable stores and expendable cquipirient; 
narine casualty files; monthly reports on armament placed on vessels; a 
vessel-activity file shelving the tiLie spent in port, the tii.ie in repair, 
sailing dates, and other information on the vessels operating under War 
Shaping Adi.iinistration supervision; requisitions for vessel equipment; 
seamen’s service records; vreekly rc^vorts on Coast Guard disposition of 
discipline cases; .manning and T\rage-scale files; vessel cre¥7 lists; ser¬ 
vice records of masters and all licensed officers appointed to War Ship¬ 
ping Adi.iinistration vessels; files concerning licensed personnel who were 
subjected to disciplinary action by the Lxrchant llarine Hearing Unit 
of the Coast Guard; monthly activity records for each Liberty Ship; 
classified records of all vessel casualties; navigational and pilot charts 
for use in forming legal opinions; and ocean area charts showing sinkings 
by the enemy. 






- 23 - 


Bunker Fuel SGction «— This Section vfas established by the Adnin- 
istrator early in 19U2 to have central control over the bunkerin^j of all 
vessels. It issued instructions for bunkering; in United States "orts, 
indicatinf; the quantities of bunker fuel to be lifted by vessels cn^-aii’ed 
in various tjq'es of ship^dn^j. It deterinined v/hat the bunker, requireincnts 
of vessels would be when they arrived at forei^jn ports and iiistructed 
representatives of the Ad.iinistration abroad to make necessary arrange¬ 
ments for meeting those requirements,The Section maintained close con¬ 
tact vdth the Petroleum Adirdnistration for ’Jar, the Navy, the 'Jar Ship¬ 
ping Administration's Tanker Division, and the British Ilinistr^^- of \.'ar 
Transport, It consulted ^vith the Foreign Econoimic Administration repard- 
inp the availability of oil and the reasonableness of requests of neutral 
vessels for bunkerinp in United States ports. Its Director conferred -vd-th 
British representatives in dj^awinp up i.vutually satisfactory aprec.ments 
for bunkerinr under lend-lcase provisions. 

Records ♦— The records of this Section (ol foot) are in the 
custody of the Bureau of Ilarino Operations of the d'aritime Commission, 

They include correspon.’enco vdth steamship and oil comp-anies and penoral 
correspondence and ship files ropardmip bvinkerintj. 

Bunker Control 00111.-111100 «— This Committee, established 
in I 9 U 2 , v/as composed of rciarescntatives of the State and Departments, 

the Forei:;n Economic Acd.iinistration, the Petrolema Ad.ministration for 
'.'ar, and the British ministry of ‘./ar Trans^.ort, undier the chairiaanship 
of the Director of the Bunker Fuel Section of the Division of Operations 
in the A'ar Shipping Admiinistralien. It controlled coal bunkers in Trinidad, 
and oil bunkers for neutral-flar; vessels at all ports in the i/estern 
Hevdsphere outside the continental United States, All requirements of 
neutral-fla {5 vessels for fuel supplies at these ports were cleared through 
the ComiiittcG, In this manner control was maintained over the movements 
of neutral vessels and measures were taken to see that fuel issued to 
such ship!s did not find its vfay to the enejriy. 


Records ,— The Comvdttee's records constitute a unit 
of the files of the 3u:aker Fuel Section of the Division of Vessel Opera- 
tions, now in the custody of the Bureau of darino Operations of the 
Liari td:ie G oimds s ion, 


Vessel Perf jrmanco Section .— This Section chcck* 2 d on the per¬ 
formance of all vessels ov.Tiod or chartered by the 'Jar Shipping Adr.iinistra¬ 
tion and prepared .rcco.jivendauions for the scrapping of vessels unfit for 
repair and further service. 

Records ,— The Section's records {2hS feet) are in the 
custody of the Bureau of Llarinc Operations of the Llaritii.ic Gom.iission, 

They include a penerod. subject file ’xrtaininp to defense installations, 
conversions, and vessel performancesj; a vessel detail file shov/ing cargo 
lift, flag, fuel capacity, location, former ovmer, condition, and other 
data for each vessel operating under './ar Shipping Administration control; 








- 24 - 


data on vessel performances; suii.iaries of subsidies paid; operating policy 
files for each of the companies acting as agents of the 'Jar Shipping 
Adi,iinistration, -vvith related contracts and correspondence; master repair 
contracts and related correspondence; ajid data on vessels scrapped. 

Division of Operating Contracts .— This Division v^as established on 
April 19 , 19 UU, to carry on a part of the functions previously handled 
by the Division of Operations, It vfas res^ionsiblo for all negotiations 
of contracts and agreements, such as time and barc-boat charters, general 
agency agreeeients, tL.ie-charter agency agreements, berth subagency agree¬ 
ments, stevedoring contracts, terminal contracts, and other contracts 
not specifically assirpied to other ^onits of the J'ar Shipping Admiijiistration. 
It atbiinistered the operating in’ovisions of such contracts and agreements, 
includin;;; the preparation and issuance of operating regulations. The 
Division became a part of the Operations Deg^artment in the Moritii.ie Com¬ 
mission on January 1, 19U7. 

Records .— ...iDst of the records of the Division vrere maintained 
by its several sections. Those of the Director’s Office (22 feet) 
include reports on vessels transferred to the An.y and the Navy, audit 
reports, a file on berthing facilities and port customs in United Kingdom 
and continental ports, and a general subject file. These records remain 
in the Division’s custody v/ithin the Bureau of l.Iarine Operations of the 
ilarithae CoiTii.iission. 

Charters and Agreements Section .— This Section prepared standard 
forms for tiioe and bare-boat charters and service agreements; it .aadc or 
concurred in abainistrative interpretations of the operating provisions 
of time and bare-boat charters and service agreements; it determined the 
length of ti:ac spent in ”off-hire" under the P'rovisions of time charters 
and obtained from 07 /ners properly executed off-hire certificates; it 
issued instructions for the inventor^'', survey, delivery, and redclivcry 
of all vessels under charter, service agreements, and purchase agreements; 
and it assembled and studied all necessary’- data to dcteri-iinc the operating 
efficiency of companies operating under the /ejerican flag and serving under 
contract as general agents of the '.Tar Shipping Admiinistration, 

Records ,— The records of this Section (l50 feet) include 
correspondence relatiiirg to the off-hire of all tankers, inventory reports, 
card records of vessels under charter, allocation reports, delivery certi¬ 
ficates, General Agent Agreement files, and some ships’ papers. They arc 
in the custody of the Division of Operating Contracts, Bureau of darinc 
Operations, in the daritiiae Goixiission, 

Agency Section .— This Section prepared rcco-mienJations and in¬ 
structions with regard to the definition of duties of agents, general 
agents, and berth agents; it handled all operating matters in connection 
vdth the appointment of subagents for War Shipping Administration vessels; 
arid it advised and assisted the Director of the Division in matters per¬ 
taining to compensation schedules and special fees. 







- 25 - 


Records ,— The records of this Section (31 feet) consist 
chiefly of correspondence mth agents regarding agency arrangements-in 
all ports, the formulation of requisitions, and the handling of ships by 
berth agents * They also include an agreement file of contracts for rented 
radios and leased radio-telegraph equipment and apparatus aboard ships. 

They are in the custody of the Division of Operating Contracts, Bureau of 
llexihe Operations, in the Maritime CoLimission, 

Stevedoring Section .— This Section vras created to supervise 
the loading and discharge of all vessels under the control of the ¥o.r 
Shipping Ad:.iinistration, It devised nev; stevedoring methods for handling 
unusual Yfortime coimiiodities; developed schedules of stevedoring rates and 
established regulations to govern their q:r.)lication in Atlantic and Gulf 
ports; endeavored to bring about a more efficient and equitable distri- 
bution of stevedoring T;ork oieong conturactors at the various ports; 
increased the use of mechanical equipment to speed up the handling of 
cargoes; and assisted stevedoring contractors in obtaining approv.al of 
vrages paid to all classes of labor they employed. The Section coordinated 
all its stevedoring activities Y/ith similar activities of the V.'ar Depart¬ 
ment, the Navg’’ Department, and other Government agencies. It established 
a committee of experts to study conditions in each principal port Yfith a 
vievr to expanding port facilities and increasing their efficiqncy. 

Records .— The records of this Section (U5 feet) include 
stevedoring agreements and related data, stevedoring contracts, rulings 
made in connection ulth stevedoring contracts, a 7;ago-rate file, corres¬ 
pondence, a general subject file, and some reports of the Comdittee of 
Practical Stevedores, They are in the custody of the Division of Operating 
Contracts, Bureau of marine Operations, in the I.Iaritime Co:.i.iissipn. 

Co:.mittQo of Practical Stevedores ,— This CoLuiittee, chosen 
from private industry", conducted siu'vcys of the equigmient, experience, 
and financial stability of stevedoring contractors at the various ports. 

It submitted reports on the relative standing and efficiency of the 
contractors and provided estimates of the number of vessels each contractor 
could handle. It also surveyed teri.iinals and cargo-handling facilities 
at the ports, gave advice vaith respect to the cargo-handling capacities 
of each port, and reported upon the labor available at the ports for 
stevedoring employiiicnt, 

Records .— Tho records of the Conmiittco aro interfiled 
aimong those of tho Stevedoring Section of the Division of Operating 
Contracts, 


Terminals Section .— On April 1, 19U2, the liar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion assumed jurisdiction over tho tcrkiinal facilities used by its vessels. 
Tho Terminals Section was subsequently established in the Division of 
Operations (and later transferred to the Division of Operating Contracts) 
to determine policies for acquiring ton.iinals and piers and to direct 
their use after their acquisition, many of the Section's activities v;cro 









- 26 - 


connected 7 /ith the ports of New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, 
v/hcre the V/ar Shipping Administration had terminal, operating contracts 
that gave it control over deep-sea terminal facilities during .the emergency. 
The operation of piers remained in the hands of the agents who held leases 
for them before the ¥ar Shipping Ad'iinistration assumed supervision. 

Records .— The records of the Comnittee (5U feet), consist¬ 
ing largely of contracts, correspondence, and reports on tor.:iinal facili¬ 
ties, vrere transferred to the Division of Terminals and Real Estate in 
the Maritime Corxiission and arc now interfiled v/ith the records of that 
Division, 

Division of Food Control ,— This Division was created from sections 
of the Division of Operations on April 19, 19hh, to direct the procurci.icnt 
and supply of adequate food provisions for vessels under the control of 
the bnr Shipping Administration and for vessels of the United Nations 
and of neutrals seeking food supplies in the United States, It maintained 
close contact with various Govemiaent agencies concerned mth the control, 
procurement, and distribution of foodstuffs in order to meet current needs 
and create stockpiles of food; and it prescribed food requirements .and 
standards according to the types of vessels and the trade routes in vddeh 
they sailed. 

In addition to supervising the procurement of food the Division made 
studies and prepared recommendations on policies and procedures for the 
proper stowage, utilization, preparation, and control of food aboard 
vessels^ it standardized menus 5 it conducted conservation campaigns to 
eliminate the waste of food; and it analyzed the fec'ling costs of ship 
operators. It was also responsible for inspecting refrigeration 
facilities and galley equipment. On January 1, 19U7, it w^as abolished, 
and its functions were tr.ansferred to the Operations Department of the 
Liaritii-ie G ommis s ion, 


Records .— Most of the records of the Division (25 feet) vrcre 
maintained vdtliin the Division and are nov;- in the custody of. the Records 
Management Center of the Maritime Co..miission in Washington, They 
include a general subject file, food-control regulations, licenses of 
ship suppliers, canners’ contracts, and invoice files. Copies of the 
Division’s outgoing letters are in the Comaissian’s General Files, 





- 27 - 


Office of the Assistant Se-outy Administrator for Tarfrer PDerations 

This Office v;as created on June 3» 19^2, to exercise the har Ship-;^ing 
Administration's control over the operations of oil tanl^ers. It determined 
policies for the requisitioning of all ocean-going tanJrers of 3»C<)0 gross 
tons or more and for their most advantageous use in the prosecution of the 
v;ar. The Tanlrer Operations Division was placed under its direction, and in 
May 1943 the Tanlrer Allocations Division was set up within it. It v/orked 
closely v;ith the Office of the Petroleum Administrator for Mar, the Army- 
ITavy Petroleum Board, the Office of Lend-Lease Administration, the Mar 
Production Borrd, and various other G-overnment agencies. On April 19, 19^''^t 
its name v/as cheuged to the Office of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for 
Tanker Contfcrol; and on June I 3 , 19^» it v/as abolished, its functions being 
transferred to its subordinate Ta.hl^er Opera-tions Division, v/hich \;as assigned 
to the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Operations, 

Records .— Host of the records of the Office of the Assistant Deputy 
Administrator for Tanlaer Operations are interfiled among those of the Tanlirer 
Opera.tions Division, described belovj, 

Tanlcer Q-pe rat ions Division , This Division v;as established in Pebru-ar^r 
19^2 to talae over from the L'a-.ritim6 Commission's Division of Emergency Ship¬ 
ping the f\inction of supervising the operation of all oil tanlaers that were 
subject to control-by the Mar Shipping Administration, Before the estab¬ 
lishment of the Taniaer Allocations Division in May 19^3* after its aboli¬ 
tion the Tanl'er Operations Division also supervised the allocation of tanirers. 
The Division v/as under the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Tarfcer Control 
from June 3# 19^2, to June 13 , 19^^i v;hen it v/as transferred to the Office 
of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Ship Operations. On January 1, 

1947 * it v/as abolished and its functions v;ere transferred- to the Operations 
Department of the Maritime Commission. 

Records .—The records of the Division (lO feet) are nov/ in the 
custod 3 ’’ of the Bureau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Commission, They 
includ.e general correspondence, correspondence relating to actions talcen by 
British and American committees in hand-ling tanl-:er problems, and correspondence 
and reports d-ea.ling v/ith convoy and area programs. 

Tanlrer Control Bo-rd .— This Board, established on August 27, 19^1, 
composed, at first of representatives of the Office of the Petroleum Coor¬ 
dinator for national Defense and the United States Maritime Commission and 
later of representatives of the Petroleum Administrator for Mar and the Mar 
Shipping Administration, It coordinated, all efforts relating to the allo¬ 
cation and utilization of tanl^ers owned or controlled by -American comr)anies. 

Records .— The records of this Boa-rd constitute a unit in the files 
of the Tanl’er Operations Division. 








- 28 - 


Tani^er Allocations Division , This Division was set up in May 19^!'3 
as a unit of the Office of the Assistant Dei3ut3^ Administrator for Tanlier 
Operations to handle the allocation prohlens previously perforined hy the 
Tanker Operations Division, After June I 3 , 19^^i it reported directly to 
the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies; 
and in October 19^5 it v;as abolished, and its functions were retransferred 
to the Tanker Operations Division, 

Records .—The records of the Division (60 feet), nov; in. .. 
the custody?- of the 3''J-3:’eau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Cominis si on, 
include position reports, operational reports, directives from the 
Director of the Division, and general correspondence. 

Office of the Assistant Denuty Administrator for Fiscal Affairs 

This Office (also referred to as the Piscavl Affairs Organization) v/as 
established under the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, 
and Policies on June 3* 19^2, to administer the fiscal affairs of the Uar 
Shipping Administration, It supervised and controlled the functions and 
activities of the Administration relating to vessel procurement,- v/artime 
insurance, operating-cost control, freight rates and surcharges, auditing, 
accounting and finance procedures, and all other matters connected with the 
establishment of terms and conditions for ship purchases, charters, and 
requisitions. It was responsible for the preipanation of scales of compen¬ 
sation to general agents, time-charter agents, and berth agents and for ne¬ 
gotiations relating to such scales of compensation. It advised other div¬ 
isions on all actions involving basic questions of fiscal policy. The 
Assistant Deputy Administrator v/as a member of the Policy Committee of the 
Uar Shipping Administration. 

The Office and the position of Assistant Deputy Administrator for 
Fiscal Affairs v/ere aboilished by an administrative order of June 5» 19^5» 
and in their place the position of Assistant Deputy Administrator for Fiscal 
and Shipping Relations was created. This position v/as abolished in October 
19^5 s-iid its subordinate units v/ere made responsible to other Assistant 
Deputy Administrators or directly to the Deputy Administrator for Vessel 
Utilization, Planning, and Policies, 

Records ,— Most of the records of the Office of the Assistant Deputy 
Administrator for Fiscal Affairs are in the Maritime Commission’s General 
Files. Those maintained v/ithin the Office (20 feet), including its con¬ 
fidential correspondence and a genera.! subject file, are nov/ in the custody 
of the Bureau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Commission, 

Division of Q-perating Costs Control 

Shortl^T" after the establishmentb of the Uar Shipping Administration 
this Division \/as created as a unit under the Assistant Deputy Administrator 
for Fiscal Affairs to make studies of operating costs. It prepared ana^ 

Ijdiical studies of the operating costs of Uar Shipping Administration vessels 
assigned to agents under Service Agreements; it studied the costs of repairs. 







- 29 - 


subsistence, terminals, stores, stevedoring* and agents’ compensation; 
and it studied performance and productivity under senuce and supuly 
contracts. On the basis of its studies it recommended changes in contra.cts 
for services, facilities, and supplies and adjustments in rates and com¬ 
pensation, It also approved or disapproved arrangements made by War Ship¬ 
ping Admihistra.tion agents for. stores, supplies, equipment, materials, and 
facilities to be used in their opera-tion of vessels for the AdLiini strati on. 

In 1945 the Division v/as transferred tto the Office of the Assistant 
Deputy Administrator for Ship Ojperations, uhere. it remained until the Uar 
Shipping Administration v/as terminated. Its functions ^-ere then transferred 
to the Operations Control Division in the Operations Department of the 
Maritime Commission, ' 

Records ,— The records of the Division (l29 feet) include correspondence 
rela-ting to agency agreements and fiscal natters; vessel operating state¬ 
ment s;. inventories of equipment; stevedoring,quarterly cost reports; steve¬ 
doring invoices; contract files; studies of tov/age in various ports and of 
compensation pay to general agents .for ship services and operations;' rene¬ 
gotiation agreements; and analyses of subsistence costs. Some, of these 
records are in the custody of the'Operating Contracts Division of the 
Bureau of Coverrjnent Aids of the Maritime Commission and some are in the 
Records I'laaagement Center of the Commission in Washington, 

Division of Large Vessel Procurement . This Division, created on 
*^pril 7 , 19^2, v/as responsible for acquiring by requisition, purchase, 
or charter; all ca.rgo, passenger, and combination types of vessels of 1,000 
or more gross tons and all tanlcers of 3»000 or more gross tons. It nego¬ 
tiated prices for the voluntary purchase or charter of such vessels, 
determined charter rates and the bases of valuation on requisitioned vessels, 
reviev/ed and made recommendations to the Assistant Deputy Administrator for 
Fiscal Affairs regarding the execution of agreements 3,nd charters for pur¬ 
chases, and considered the financial provisions of all private charters and 
sales of vessels submitted to the War Shipping Admini strati on. It collabor¬ 
ated v.'ith the Division of Large Vessel Disposal after ITovember 19^^ in 
determining the values to be placed upon the use and title of vessels in 
connection v/ith their disposal. The t\jo Divisions' also cooperated in the for¬ 
mulation of 'policies for the acquisition of title to chartered vessels that 
had been structurally converted for special purposes. 

For a fev/ months after October 19^5 “he Division.of Large Vessel Pro¬ 
curement reported directly to the Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utiliza¬ 
tion, Planning, and Policies; a.nd on January 2, 1946, it v/as put under the 
supervision of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Charters and Valua¬ 
tions, It v/as abolished v/ith the War Shipping Administration before the 
end of 1946, 

Records .— The records maintained v/ithin the Division (l4 feet), 
including a ’’Summary of Just Compensation," informational reports on the 
status of charters, confidential correspondence pertaining to charters, 
and some records of the Examining Division of the liaritime Commission, are 
nov/ in the custody of the Commission’s Records i'lanagement Center in Wash¬ 
ington, Most of the correspondence of the Division is in the Maritime 
Commission’s General Files, 





- 30 - 


Division of Lend-Lease Frocvirement . This Division was formally estac- 
lished ■b 3 '- the Administrator on July l6, 19^3* direct the financial and 
fiscal aspects of the lend-lease procurement activities of the h’ar Ship¬ 
ping administration. It received from the Foreign Dconomic Administration 
all requisitions for which the Maritime Commission or the VJar Shipping Ad¬ 
ministration was to act as procurement agency; and in turn it transmitted 
-these requisitions to the respective Divisions v/hose regular functions 
qualified them to obtain and transfer the services or goods specified. 

Such reciuisitions v;ere for the repair in United States ports of vessels 
belonging to countries receiving lend-lease; for services and supplies, 
such as stevedoring, ship’s stores,,and fuel, to be furnished to foreign 
vessels; for ocean transportation of lend-lease com-'odities on ships con¬ 
trolled bjr the IJar Shipping Administration; for the use of vessels under 
bare-boat charter; and for ma.rine eojiipment and matfcerials, such as anchor 
chain, marine engines, propellers, and fathometers, for e:qp.ort. 

The Division was responsible to the Assistant Deputy Administrator for 
Fiscal Affiars from its establishment until October 19^5* after v;hich.for 
a brief time it reported directly to the Deputy' -rt-dministrator for Vessel 
Utilization, Planning,and Policies, In January 1945 it v/as subordinatfced 
to the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Charters and Valuations; and in 
the general dissolution of the Uar Shipiping Administration at the end of 
1946 it was abolished, 

Records .— The records maintained v’ithin the Division .(50 feet) 
include a general subject file v/ith an index, lend-lease requisitions, ship- 
chartter and repair agreements v.dth'the British, ITetherlands, and Norwegian 
shipping missions, ITetherlands charter hire statements, and correspondence 
relating to specific lend-lease requisitions. Some of these records are 
in the custody of the Bureau of Marine Operations of the Maritime Commission, 
and some are in the Records liana-geraent Center of the Commission in vJa,sh- 
ington. Much of the correspondence of the Division is in the Maritime 
Commission’s Ceneral Files. 

Division of Freight Rates and Surcharges . This Division was created 
on Ifarch 4, 1942, t'o establish maximum rates for the carriage of dry and 
lio^uid cargoes in bulk. It set up voyage charter rates, surcharges, and 
certain charter terms and conditions for the transportation of bulk cargoes 
such as coal, ores, nitrate of soda, and sugar. In cases \7here no commer¬ 
cial service had existed before the war, it made extensive studies of op¬ 
erating costs for the purpose of establishing a basis for rates. Its 
Director acted as Chairman of the Tramp Freight Rate Committee, the Liner 
Freight Rate Committee, and the Tanlcer Freight Committee of the IJashington 
Branch of the United Maritime Zxecutive Board; and he v/as a member of the 
Committee on Rate Appeals in the Uar Shipping Administration, 

During the fall of 1942, the Division bega.n to handle matters per¬ 
taining to the estbablishment and application of passenger fares on 
vessels operated for the Uar Shipping Administration, It established 





hundreds of pa.ssenger fares applicable to the transport.a,tion of passengers 
from one foreign port tto another on VJar Shipping AcLmini strati on ships. In 
col la-ho ration vith Ithe liar, ITavi'', and State Departments, it. set up'a 
S 5 ''stem of uniform fares betv/een the Unitted States and all other parts of 
the v7orld to be quoted for all fare-paying passengers transported on 
■"essels of the i/ar Shipping Administration or the. liar and iTavy Departments 

Originally responsible to the C-eneral Director for Shipping, the 
Division v;as on June 3» 19^2, assigned to the i^ssistc!.nt Deputy Adminis¬ 
trator for Discal Af fairs and on October 1, 19^!'5» tco the Assistant Deputy 
Adraini strait or for Ship Opera.tions, It i;as abolished on Janua,ry 1, 19^7» 
and its functions v;ere tiransferred to the Operations Department of the 
Haritirae Commission. 

Records .— Dhe records maintained by the Division (40 feet) are 
nov.f in the custody of the Traffic Division of the Maritime Commission’s 
Bureau of Government Aids. They include freight-rate agreements; rate 
orders, and advice tto agents v;ith respect to them; voyage analysis reports 
agents* cargo and revenue reports; cargo and itinerary statements of 
tanhers; minutes and correspondence of some of the subcoimnittees of the 
United Maritime Authority; and correspondence pertaining to tanlrers, rates 
the British Sea Transport Service, and Russian lend-lease. Some of the 
outgoing correspondence of the Division is in the Maritime Commission’s 
General Riles, 



- 32 - 


Division of j'artiiiiG Insurance ,— This Division v/ns Gstablishod on 
April 7, 19h2, to exercise the iiiarinc and v^ar-risk insurance powers 
vested in the Adiainistrator, It provided war-risk insurance on cargoes 
shipped in the foreign corxierce of the United States or its territories 
and ^.ossessions, reg-ardless of the flag of the carrying vessel^ it 
provided for death and disability benefits for iuerchant seanen and 
indcLinity to seamen for the loss of their personal effects or for the 
loss of earnings Yvhile they vrere waiting for repatriation after capture 
by the enemy; and it provided insurance on vessels operated under super¬ 
vision of the V/ar Shipping Adi.iinistration, It v/as responsible for pro¬ 
tecting the Administration’s interests in the assuiaption of risks and 
liabilities on vessels, and it determined the insured values of such 
vessels. It prepared and issued policies for all insurance Y^ritten 
by the \Ipr Shipping A'dministration. It exaiained and a .proved or dis¬ 
approved the costs of comucrcial insurance authorized for the Adi.iinis¬ 
tration’s account. It verified the adequacy of insurance requirements 
under stevedoring contracts and under leases covering properties in 
which the Administration waas interested either as lessor or lessee. It 
prepared and filed claiais Td.th the United States Employees Compensation 
Coi-'mission for loss of life and injury to w'ar Shipping Administration 
employees. Its Claii.is Section in Nevi York handled the settlement of all 
claiius payable under insurance wTitten by the b'ar Shipping Adiainistration 
or for its benefit. 

The Division was subordinate to the Assistant Deputy Administrator 
for Fisc.al Affairs from Juno 1942 until October 19U5, after which, for 
a short period, it v/as directly responsible to the Deputy Aclainistrator 
for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies, In I.laxch 19U6 its func¬ 
tions viore transferred to the Division of Insurance in the Maritime 
Comaission, vihich was made a joint service unit for both the Commission 
and the Adi.iinistration, After January 1, 19U7, all continuing functions 
concerned mth marine and ivar-risk insurance were vested in the Insurance 
Division of the Operations Dcp.ortment of the Maritime Commission, 

Records .— The records of the Division of dartii.ie Insurance were 
kept at the section level. Those of the sections in 'Tashington (200 feet) 
are partly in the Insurance Division of the Bureau of Finance of the 
Llaritm.ie Commission and partly in its Records Management Center. They 
include reports on casualties and on forei:;n-flag insurance and scoii- 
annual reports on claims; correspondence regarding cargoes, insurance 
rates, insurance coverage, and insurance actions; lond-lcase cargo claii.is; 
insurance policies; and insurance-rate statements. The records of the 
Claims Section (l500 feet) are in three places. The beneficiary designa¬ 
tions are in the Conr.iission's Records Llanagcmcnt Center at Hoboken, N, J,, 
the records of hull and cargo claims are in its Records Management 
Center in a'ashington, and the correspondence is in the Division of Insur¬ 
ance, Bureau of Finance of the Commission in Washington. 

'.Wartime Insurance Comimittee .— This Coi.imittee was formed on 
December 19, 19lilj to advise the Maritii.ie Commission vdth regard to its 
insurance activities, hliGn functions of marine and viar-risk insurance 
were transferred to the A'ar Shipping Adiainistration in February 19lj? , 





- 33 - 


the Co:x.iittGG also '\,vas transferred and beca^ie attached in an advisory 
cajneity to the Division of ■'Wartime Insurance, It collaborated v^rith 
coixiericaJ- underwriters in adapting the insurance offered by thci.i to 
the needs of the shipovniers and the Governiaent under warti-ne conditions. 

It advised vessel owners vh ose vessels yjqtq chartered f or Governiuent 
use as to the aiaount and kinds of insurance to be placed with coixiercial 
underv/riters, It reviewed v/ar-risk insurance costs subnitted by ship- 
owTicrs for freight-rate surcharges. It served generally where its con- 
pctence was needed, appearing before Congressional coeeiittces on ’war-risk 
insurance legislation, conferring vfith the Reconstruction Finance Corg^ora¬ 
tion as to the scope of war-risk insurance to be provided by that agency 
under the V.'ar Dacaage Insurance Act {^6 Stat. llU), and consulted vaLth the 
Llaritirae b'ar Energency Board on questions of war-risk insiurjice for crews. 

Records .— Sonc of the records of the Coixiittec arc in the 
General Files of the Liaritine Coraaission, The rest constitute a unit 
of the records of the Division of V/artioie Insurance. 

Division -^f Large Vessels Disposal .— This Division w^as established 
on Dcconbcr 12, 194U, to have charge of negotiations for both the 'Jar 
Shipping Administration and the llaritiivie Coxiission wdth respect to the 
disposal of all types of vessels and floating equipnent in excess of 
1,000 gross tons. It miade rccoi.ji'.iondations for sodes and for the return 
of vessels to the owners fron whou they had been chartered. It entered 
into agreei'-ionts wdth the owners for the reconversion of vessels or lirap- 
su.m pay..icnts in lieu of reconversion, and it arronged for the conplction 
of repairs that were properly chargeable to the Governnent, It devised 
procedures for .^aking surveys at the time of redelivery to determine the 
respective liabilities of the Government and the owners for deferred 
naintenance and voyage rexi'airs. It assisted in the development of plans 
and procedures for the lay-up, preservation, and custody of all vessels no 
longer required for active operation. In conducting all apjpropriate sur¬ 
veys, estimates, .and appraisals relating to the disposed, of the merchant 
fleet, it collaborated wnth the Idaintcnance and Repair Organization, 
discussed below. It relied upon the Technical Division of the I.Iaritime 
Coixiission for reviews and reports necessary for reconversions undertaken 
by the Governimont and for csti-iates of probable costs. 

The Division of Large Vessels Disposal was reorganized in Septcimbor 
19hS) and all its functions relating to the redeliverp- of vessels to 
their former owners wrcre transferred to the Division of Redelivery of 
Chartered Vessels, first under the Deputy Adiministrator for Vessel Utili¬ 
zation, Planning, and Policies and then under the Assistajit Deputy 
Ad’.iinistrator for Charters and Valuations, J'ith the abolition of the 
h'ar Ship)ping Adaiinistration, all remaining disposal and redelivery f^onc- 
tions of the Division were transferred to the Large Vessel Sales Division 
in the Purchase and Sales Department of the Liaritime Coamiission. 

Records .— The pjormanent records of the Division of Large Vessel 
Disposal (30 foot) are partly in the Bureau of Government Aids of the 
I.Iaritiime Coxiission and partly in the Coxmission's General Files, 





- 3U - 



Oxficc Ox the Assistcuit Deputy liCiilnistrator for liaintonanco and Repair 

This Office (also referred to as the Liaintcnaiice aia.i Repair Orrpaniza- 
tion) vas created in October 19a3 to supervise the divisions hraidlin;; 
loaintcnancc and repair acx-ivitics under the Deputy Administrator for 
Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies. It established procedures and 
exercised control over all natters rolatinp to the repair, nalntenancc, 
alteration, conplction, conversion, reconversion, reconditionin';, depaussin;; 
and ariuinp of vessels under the jurisdiction of the Jar Shippinp A-eoinis- 
tration and of allied vessels in United States ports. It directed salvapo 
operations; apportioned the costs of repairs anon.-; the Aar Shipping Admin¬ 
istration, other Government ardencies, and persons or a,jencics outside the 
G-ovcrn.mcnt; reported to the Technical Division of the Llaritino Cornaission 
all defects in .aachincr^r and equipraent furnished by contractors; and 
laaintained data and records for purposes of appraisal. A Special Assistant 
ivithin the Office, in consultation 7fith the Lepal Division, supervised 
all natters relating to shipyard ]_abor contracts, ware sccales, and other 
aiattcrs affectin'; the cost of -,\ork <lone under direction of the Office. 

Upon the dissolution of the ‘Jar Sh'ippin.-^ Aibiinistration, the functions of 
the Office Y\rere transferred to the Llaintenance and Repair Division of the 
Operations Depart.acnt in the I.iaritine Coiuiission. 

Records — The records of the Office (2400 feet) are‘in the custody of 
the -^arituae Goni.dssion* s RcC'.ords hanapenent Center in A'ashin;:ton; the 
rest are in the Coi.aaission’s Bureau of Enpincerinp. They include reports 
of danapes sustained by laerchant vessels durin;; the v/ar, reports on defects 
in laachinorp’- and eqaipnent furnished to the Goaiaission and the Avdndnistra- 
tion, rc^jair contracts, and related correspondence. 

Division of Idaintenoncc and Repair, — 'This Division was established on 
day 17, 1942 , within the Office of the Director General of Shippjinp. It 
vras responsible for ■'aaintaininp and repairing the laorchant fleet of the 
United States. Its vrork included the rGh<abilitation of lad1-up ships 
built for service during 'Jorld ‘,7ar I, the reconditioninr; of sabotaged 
foreipn vessels seized at the outbreak of Aorld ‘Jar II, arid the adapta¬ 
tion of foreipn-flap vessels for operation by ijaericou croYra. It super¬ 
vised the alteration of coastal and lake vessels for deep-sea service; the 
conditioning of all vessels ovaied by United States citizens or coraponics 
for wartiaie operations (ecp. the dosigninp and installing of gun fo'onda- 
tions, the installing of quoxters for gun crows, degaussing, and other 
defense raeasuxes); and the conversion of cargo and passenger vessels into 
troop transports. The Division suib rvised the repair of British, Raissian, 
UorY7Ggian, Polish, and 3razilio.n vessels under lend-leaso agreements. It 
also cooperated vath the Liaritime Gor;iaission’s Coordinator for Ship Repair 
and Conversion in allocating vessels needing repairs to the available repair 
yards. 


Headquarters of the Division were in NcY»r York City; most of its 
activities, however, Yv'ere carriol on in three principal districts — 
Atlantic Coast district, the Pacific Coast district, and the Gulf Coast 








district—each headed by its district rianacer. Under the district managers 
were local managers, in charge of local or branch offices at the various 
shipping ports; and under the local managers were marine surveyors, 
stationed at the principal repair yards to chock upon the work being done. 
Outside the main districts there were offices in Cleveland, Ohio (for the 
Great Lakes district); Uad.ifox, Nova Scotia; and Port of Spain, Trinidad; 
and controlled repair operations were carried on at the port of St, John, 
New Brunsivick, 

The Division vras put under the Assist.ant Deputy Administrator for Ship 
Operations on June 3, 19U2; but it \'to.s transferred in October 19k3 to 
the Office of the Assistojit Deputy Administrator for Llaintennnco and Repair 
In Ilrj’ch I 9 U 6 it was split into two divisions—-one of Repair Subsidies and 
one of Vessel Appraisal and Cost Estii.iatcs, Vdion the V/ar Shipping Adminis¬ 
tration was dissolved, the functions r:erforr;ied by these‘tw"o divisions .were 
transferred to the Ilaintcnanco and Repair Division in the Operations 
Depjartment of the liaritiime Commission, 

Records dost of the records of the Division of Llaintenance 
and Repair arc interfiled aruong those of the Office of the Assistant" 

Deputy Aduinistrator for Ilaintcnanco and Repajjr, noiv in the custody of the 
Bureau of Engineering of the Ilaritiue 'Cora.iLSsion and the Comission's 
Record Management Center in ■.iTaGhington, They include most of the materials 
of value pertaining to tho activities of the field offices 'of tho Division. 

Division of Field Service ,— This Division was, created on August 18, 
1943 , under the Assist.ant Deputy Administrator .for Eiscal /dfairs,, to,, . 
increase efficiency in the repair yards. It surveyed and'rep.xted on con- 
dioions in ship repair yards that to uld affect, the cost of the repair and 
conversion progra:.is of the Uor 'Shipping Administration, It traj-ned,per¬ 
sonnel in the analysis and checking of costs and efficiency, of ship repairs 
in order to attain a.bettor control over repair and conversion costs. It 
took steps to prevent excessive use of overti'.iG on V/ar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion vessels; excessive use of labor; excessive use and w'aste. of materials; 
excessive use of subcontractors vdth the reailt of pyraiiiiding fees:; dupli¬ 
cation of 'work and of charges on work improporly done; .duplication of 
charges on materials 'withdraTWi from stock;* and inadequate accounting for 
excess materials and scrap removed from vessels. 

The Division had in the field an og>orating force composed of district 
managers,' area managers, supervisors, and examiners, who made continuing 
surveys of repair facilities’ and their operation at all ports to check 
upon their adequacy for the v;ork of the maintenance and Repair Division. 

In October 19^3 the Division of Field Service w'as transferred from the Offi 
of the Assistant Deputy Admiinistrator for Fiscal Affairs* to t^e Office of 
the Assistant Deputy. Administrator for Maintencnce and Repairs; and in , 
September 19l^U it was abolished, its .functions being assuraed.by the 
Division of maintenance and 'Repair, r ’ 




- 36 - 


Rccvords.— Host of the records of the Division are interfiled 
aiiionv those of the Office of the Assistant Deputy Acu.iinistrator for uain- 
tenance and Repclr, nov in‘the custody of the Bioreau of Enpineerinp of 
the Haritiiie Coixiission and its Records Llanaoenent Center in Washington* 

Division of Repair Contracts .— This Division vas established in 
August 194 !; to assu-ie the functions (previously perfomed by the Division 
of Llaintenance and Repair) of handling all r.iatters related to the iraking 
of contracts for repair Trork. Subject to standards set up by the Legal 
Division, it prescribed the forns and x^rovisions of all repair and con¬ 
version contracts used by the b'ar Shipping Aduiinistration, It established 
contract rates and supervised the carr^^ing out of the financial terais of 
such contracts. The Division vms abolished along vath the Office to ahich 
it v-as subordinate in 19U6, 


Records .—^..lost of the Division’s records are interfiled aiaong 
those of the Office of the Assist.ant Deputy Adioinistrator for Maintenance 
and Repairs, noor in the custody of the Bureau of Engineering of the Mari- 
tL.ie Coixiission and its Recor ds Mariager.ient Center in b^ashington. 

Division of Foreign Repairs and Salvage .— This Division vjas created 
in Juno 19li3 to supervise the repair of daiaa^'^ed ITar Shipping Adr.iinistration 
vessels in foreign waters and ports, b'ith regard to each such vessel, the 
Division detenained irdiethcr to salvage the whole, remove and save only the 
reusable x>arts, or dispose of the entire hulk as useless. It set up stock¬ 
piles of spare parts in strategic foreign ports; and where stockpiling 
was impossible because of the limited availability of materials, it made 
arrangements wdth the Ar.iy and the Navy to' fly parts overseas, 'olien ves¬ 
sels were so damaged that repairs Yrcre consi'lered inadvisable, it made 
arrangements to dispose of them to Allied nations for salvage.purposes. 

It ap].')raised all typ^es of steel, coioposite, and v.ooden vessels over 1,000 
deadweight tons for the Marithae Coauiission, the b'ar Shix^x^jing Administra¬ 
tion, and other interested agencies on the basis either of market value 
or of reiolacement cost. It coop'erated -with the b'ar Production Board and 
the Metals Reserve Company in ax'praising the scrap value of vessels. In 
connection Tdth this axv3"3.isal work the Division assembled information 
on construction costs of all tyx^es of vessels, including allowances for 
reasonable shiifouilding x'^rofits. 

The Division was responsible to the Assistant Deputy Adi.iinistrator 
for Ship Operations from June until November 19UC, when it was assigned 
to the Assistant Deputy Adiainistrator for Maintenance and Repair, Its 
functions w^ere transferred on Jaauary 1, 19U7> to the Maintenance and 
Repair Division of the Operations Department of the Maritime Coariission, 

Records .— Most of the records of the Division of Fcr eign Repairs 
and Salvage (l3^ feet) are now in the custody of the Bureau of Engineering 
of the Maritime Coi.xiission, They include general correspondence of the 
Director, surveys of the condition of vessels, current data on the operation 
of vessels in domestic and ioreif;n v^aters, materials pertaining to foreign 
repairs, reports on general salvage, requisitions for repairs, appraisals, 
"structural Casualties Reports” from the Coast Guard, and reviev/s of better¬ 
ments and structural changes in vessels. Copies of the Division’s outgoing 
correspondence are in the General Files of the Gommission, 







- 37 - 


Omce of the Asslatant Dg-puty Administrator for Small Vessels 

This Office v;as established on October 23, 1943, to supervise all 
activities pertaining to barges, towboats, and other small vessels. It 
advised the Assistant Teputy Adjninistrator for Fiscal Affairs regarding 
valuations and appropriate charter rates; it assigned vessels und.er its 
Jurisdiction to operators approved as general agents by the Conuiiittee on 
Allocations in the xiaritime Commission; and it e^^ercised general sirper- 
vision over all matters pertaining to barge and towboat transportation 
and tov/ing operations. The Office v;as abolished on January 9, 1946, and 
its functions v;ere transferred to the Vessel Operations Division. 

Records .—All records of the Office except'those classified as secret are 
in the Cieneral Files of the Maritime Coinmissioh,' Among-its secret records 
(6 feet), no\T in the. custody of the Dureau of marine Operations of the 
Karitime Commission, are appraisal reports, requests of the Army, iiavy, 
and Coast Guard for .vessels, and a file of correspondence of the Assistant 
Deputy Administrator. 

Division of Snail Vessel Procurement . This Division v/as created in 
June 1942 to handle the procurement of vessels of less than 1,000 gross 
tons. It.made complete surveys and inventories of'existing vessels under 
1,000 gross tons; it revievjed and approved the terms of contracts entered 
into by. the ".ar and Davy Departments for tovjage, lighterage, and other 
services required of harbor craft; and beginning in 1944 it sv^pervised the 
disposal of small vessels. Before requisitioning any-vessel it consulted 
the Office of Defense Transportation, the Davy, and other agencies inter¬ 
ested in shipping, in order to ascertain the effect of such requisitioning 
on the programs of these agencies; and it also obtained the’approval of 
the Committee of the Strategic Shipping Board for Vessels-of 1,000'Gross 
Tons and Under. 

■ .The Division was subordinate to'..the..Assistant Deputy Administrator 
for Fiscal Affairs until October 1943. It was then abolished, and its 
functions v;ere temporarily assigned to the Office of the Assistant Deputy 
Administrator'for Small Vessels. In Darcli 1944 it vjas recreated v/ithin 
the latter-office; and on January 9,-1946, it was transferred to the Office 
of the Assistant Deputy Administrator for Charters and Valuations. The 
Division vras abolished before the end of 1946, and its continuing functions 
in relation to vessel dis]DOsal were transferred to the Small Vessel Sales 
Division in the Purchase and Sales Department of the Maritime- Commission. 

Records . — Most of the Division’s records (6C0',feet) are 4n 
the Records Management Center of the Maritime Commission in Uashington. 

Copies of outgoing correspondence are in the’General Files-of the. .Commission. 







- 38 - 


Division of Small Vessel Q-oerations . This Division was created 
hy administrative order on August 6, 1942, as the Barge and Towhoat 
Section in the Division of Operations of the V/ar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion. Its- function was to direct the operations of all harges and 
tugs under the agency’s jurisdiction. It organized the Cuba-Plorida 
sugar shuttle and the trans-Gulf oil shuttle; added barges to the 
ITew Dngland coal trade; provided and operated rescue tugs for the 
ilavy Rescue Service in the Dastern and Gulf Sea Frontiers; provided 
additional harbor tugs to handle the heavy concentrations of vessels 
in various United States ports; provided miscellaneous craft such as 
derrick boats, launches, and other au::iliary vessels where needed to 
aid in carrying out various v;ar programs; established a long distance 
service for the delivery at Gulf ports of "Jar Shipping Administration, 
ITavy Department, and '’.^ar Department barges built on the Great Lakes; 
and supplied small vessels for use in combat areas. 

The Barge and Tov/boat Section was abolished and its functions v;ere 
placed temporarily in the Office of the Assistant, Deputy Administrator 
for Small Vessels when that Office v/as created in October 1943. Uith • 
the e:qpansion in the Office’s activities, the Small Vessel Operations 
Division, was created on *:arch 13, 1944, to hand.le the direction and 
operation of small vessels. The Pdvision vies abolished, and its func¬ 
tions vrere again transferred to the reestablished Barge and Towboat 
Section of the.Division of Vessel Operations on Januaiy 9, 1946. 

Records . — The records of the Division of Small Vessel 
Operations (50 feet) are in the custody of the Bureau of liarine 
Operations of the Ilaritime Commission. They include, in ad.dition to 
records pertaining to the operations,of small vessels in United States 
v;aters, the Director’s file relating to D-day landings and other records 
about the operation of small vessels in combat areas. 

Office of the Assistant-Pe-outv Administrator for Charters and Valuations 

This Office was established on January 9, 1946. It supervised the 
disposal of vessels ovmed by the Uar Shipping Administration, the re¬ 
delivery of chartered ships to their ovmers, and the transfer of 
vessels to foreign governments or operators. It also continued functions 
relating to the acquisition of vessels that had been performed by the 
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Fiscal and Shipping Relations. I^on 
the abolition,of the Far Shipping Administra.tion most of the Office’s 
functions were transferred to the Purchase and Sales Department of the 
Maritime .Commission. • • ■; • .... . p; 

Records . — The confidential records of the Office are novr in the 
custody of the Records Management Center of the Maritime Commission in 
Fashington, All its other records are in the Commission’s General Files. 






- 39 - 


QXfice of the Assistant, Deputy Administrator for the Pacific Area . 

In iiarch 1942 the "‘Jex Shipping Administration established an 
office in San Prancisco with a branch office in Seattle to supervise 
vessel operations in the Pacific Area. An Assistant Deputy A^inistra- 
tor for the Area was appointed in April 1943 and given authority over 
all functions along the Pacific coast previously under the headquarters 
control of the Ship Operations Organization, Under the Assistant 
Deputy Administrator in San Prancisco were a Pacific Division and a 
Southwest Pacific Division? and in J'une 1943 the;Seattle Office was 
made the ITorthem Pacific Division, In April 1946 the position of 
Assistant Deputy Administrator for the Area was abolished, and all its 
functions devolved upon the Pacific Coast Division in San Prancisco, 
the Seattle office reverting to the status of a branch. 

The original function of the Pacific coast establishment v;as to 
v/ork vdth the Army, the ITavy, and the Par Shipping Administration 
headquarters in Washington to secure additional tonnage for shipping 
in the Pacific, At the height of its expansion it organized freight- 
forv/arding corporations to handle the movement to Pacific coast ports 
of lend~lease materials for llew Zealand, Australia, India, and Soviet 
Russia? set up maintenance and repair facilities; and surveyed the 
activities of all the agency’s vessels in the area for the purpose of 
developing procedures that v/ould make possible their more effective 
use. 


Records . — All records of the Area are being concentrated in 
the Records management Center of the maritime Commission at Richmond, 
California. 


Office for the Piussian Shi-n-ping Area 

In March 1944 the Russian section of the Division of Shipping 
Areas vjas made an independent office, reporting directly to the 
Deputy Administrator for Vessel Utilization, Planning, and Policies. 

It I'/as responsible for the formulation and execution of policies v/ith 
respect to all phases of the initiation, development, and coordination 
of shipping services for the U.S.S.R. and for the areas of eastern 
Durope v/ithin the Russian sphere of influence. It established liaison 
with officials and representatives of the U.S.S.R. and other foreign 
governments and coordinated the allocation of vessels v/ith foreign 
needs and demands. It explored the possibilities and assisted in 
the development of additional routes, ports, and services in the 
U.S.S.R. and eastern European trade areas. It supervised operations 
including the loading of vessels, the setting of berthing dates, and 
the handling of incoming vessels, under the Russian and eastern 
Duropean shipping programs. Upon the dissolution of the War Shipping 
Administration, the functions of the office for the Russian Shipping 
Area v/ere transferred to the Operations Department and the Interdepart¬ 
mental Liaison Office of the Maritime Commission. 





Records r — Of the records of the Office, 30 feet are in 
the custody of the Sureau of iiarine Operations and the Interdepart¬ 
mental .Liaison Office of the iiaritime Commission in !'/ashington; 

(16 feet) are in the Rational Archives. The records include raonthlj’- 
summary reports of traffic operations; statistics on sailings, cargo 
losses, and lend-lease activities; reports on convoys, casualties, 
and ship positions; sailing and voyage records; and data on Russian 
port facilities and inland transporta.tion. Also among the records of 
the Office are files of the Reputy ACjninistrator for Vessel Utilization, 
Planning, and Policies, the Foreign Service Division, and the Assistant 
Deputy Administrator for Shipping Services. 



Office of the Deputy Administrator for Labor delations , 

Manning, Training, and Recruitment 

This Office was responsible for directing all activities with respect 
to personnel engaged in the operation of vessels controlled by the -ar 
Shipping Administration. It formulated and supervised the execution of 
policies governing recuritment, training, health, medical care, and labor 
relations. Its Deputy Administrator represented the agency on the I.aritime 
war Emergency Board, the Merchant Marine Medals Avj-ard Committee, the Seamen's 
Service Awards Committee, and the United Seamen's Service. In January I 9 I 46 
it was abolished. . 

Records; -—The records of the Office are in the General Riles of the 
I'laritime Commission. 

See;—^J'larshall M. Dimock, The Executive in Action 
(No’.t York, 3 . 9 I 6 276 

Training and Manning Requirements Advisory Committee 

This Committee, set up by the Administrator in the Office of the 
Deputy Administrator for Labor foelations. Manning, Training, and Recruit¬ 
ment, was composed of representatives of the Recuritment and Manning 
Organization, the Training Organization, the Maritime Labor Relations 
Organization, and the Division of Economics and Statistics of the Maritime 
Commission. It made continuous studies of changing conditions in manpower 
requirements and the number of men to be trained as indicated by these 
studies. 

Records ;—The Committee's records constitute units in the files of the 
several organizations under the administration of the Deputy Administrator 
for Labor Relations, Manhing, Training, and Recruitment. 

Maritime R'ar ^^mergency Board 

This Board, appointed by the President on December 19, 19Ul (8 F,R. 3385) 
v.ras comprised of the Deputy Administrator for Labor Relations, , 

Manning, Training, and R.ecruitment of the .»ar Shipping Administration, 

as chairman; the x^irector of the United States Conciliation Service; 

and a member of the National war Labor Board. It fixed the .amount o.f 

v;ar-risk insurance to be carried on the lives of maritime personnel, 

decided what bonuses should be paid for voyages in danger areas, set the 

amount of reimbursement for the loss of personal effects,, and acted on 

the rights of seamen to wages and bonuses when a vessel viras captured or sunk. 

Records :—The Board's records (12 feet) are interfiled among those 
of the 'far Risk Compensation Division of the Maritime Labor relations 
Organization. They consist chiefly of minutes of meetings and general 
correspondence. 











- U2 - 


See; —maritime 'war iiimergency Board, "i'.jemorandum of .the History of the 

Maritime “War^:Steer*gei^by-'Bb&'r’d froite'In'Oeptiori to- {'resent Time" 
t^Vf^shihgton, 1^44) (pp, 865 - S75), . : 

Maritime Labor Relations Organization 

On June 10, 19U2, the Division of Maritime Relations was set up in the Mar 
Shipping Administration to take over from the Division of Maritime Personnel 
in the Maritime Comamission all functions relating to Labor in the marine 
industry. Tliis r-^ivision, cooperating closely with the Di^dLsion of 
Operations, the itecruitment‘and Manning Organization, and the Maritime Mar 
Emergency Board, formulated general labor policies for the Mar Shipping 
Administration. It had general supervision over matters arising under the 
"Statements of Policy" of Hay h and haj 12, 19h2, in which the. maritime 
unions agreed not to exercise their right to strike for.the duration of the 
v/ar, while the Mar Shipping Administration agreed not to disturb customary 
practices in hiring and dealing with seagoing personnel. On iiarch 5^ 19U3, 
the Division became the Maritime Labor Relations Organization under the 
direction of an Assistant Deputy Administrator. The Organization was 
abolished vd.th the ^ar Shipping Administration at the end of 19U6. 

Records :—Ucst of the records of the Organization were kept by the 
divisions subordinate to it. Some of its correspondence is. in the 
Maritime Commission’s General Files. 

Labor Agreements Division .—This Division was responsible for action 
upon all agreements affecting maritime labor in the United States. It 
prepared analyses of such agreements and comparative studies of the wage 
scales, conditions of employment, and legislative benefits enjoyed by 
seamen on Coreign-flag vessels. It maintained close liaison with the Inter¬ 
national Labor Organization and other agencies and committees concerned 
with war or postwar labor problems in the merchant fleets of the United 
States and other nations and cooperated vdth the .ar Shipping Panel of the 
National vjar Labor Board in efforts to stabilize wages and labor relations 
in the maritime industry. It recommended approval or disapproval of labor 
provisions in the applications of agents and of changes in wage rates and 
working rules, the addition of nev^- jobs, or the development of new 
operating situations on vessels controlled by the Mar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion. It revievred the wage rates and ivorking r'.jiles proposed for vessels 
allocated by the Mar Shipping i.drainistration to various foreign govern¬ 
ments for operation. 

Records :—The records of the Division (lU feet) are in the 
Maritime Commission’s Records Management Center in V/ashington. They .. 
include labor agreements ivith general agents, a general subject file 
pertaining to foreign labor agreements, and general correspondence with 
the different Divisions of the Mar Shipping Administration, the Maritime 
unions, the Maritime M'ar Emergency Board, and various Government agencies. 







War Risk Compensation Division .—This Division furnished administrative, 
legal, and clerical assistance to the Maritime .»ar Emergency Board. It 
settled questions as to the application of the Board’s bonus decisions and 
kept informed of changes in war hazards and the general administration of 
insurance coverage for the purpose of recommending amendments to the 
Board's decisions. 


Records .—The Division's records (lU feet) are in the custody of 
the -laritime Commission’s Bureau of Maritime Services. They consist largely 
of the records of the liaritime Mar Emergency Board. 

Marine Complaints Division .—This Divj.sion received complaints from 
maritime personnel on such matters as unsatisfactory crew quarters and 
discipline aboard ship and either brought about an adjustment or referred 
the complaint to the proper Government agencies for action. In its work, 
it cooperated closely with the ilerchant Marine Hearing Units of the Coast 
Guard, the Conciliation Service of the Department of Labor, the Crews 
Quarters Committee, and the Committee on Crew Disciplinary Matters. 

rcecords .— The records of this Division (12 feet) are now in • 
the Maritime Comiiiission’s Records Management Center in Msshington. They 
consist chiefly of general correspondence regarding crew quarters, 
disciplinary matters, and discriminations3 reports of actions’ taken in 
disciplinary cases; and records of all infractions of discipline occurring 
aboard vessels controlled by the war Shipping Administration. 

Recruitment and Manning Organization 

This Organization was established by an administrative order of 
May 5, I9U2. It coordinated and participated in the efforts of Government 
and private agencies to recruit personnel for the Merchant Marine. It 
devised means for supplementing the existing recruitment program to meet 
Imown and anticipated requirements; took steps to assure that adequate 
crews would be available at all ports at all times; and developed programs 
for recreation, vrelfare, and hospitalization facilities at shore establish¬ 
ments for merchant seamen. It advised and consulted with the Division of 
Operations regarding v/ages, hours, and working conditions; and it' 
cooperated with the Justice and Navy Jjepartraents and other agencies to . 
prevent the recruitment of subversive or disloyal persons. It also handled 
all negotiations between the Mar Shipping Administration, the '/ar Manpower 
Commission, and the Selective Service System regarding general occupational 
deferment regulations for merchant seamen, for Maritime Service trainees, 
for shoreside personnel of shipping companies, and for key officials of 
related maritime industries. The Organization was abolished in January 
I9U6. 

Records .—The Organization maintained its own central files, in which 
v/ere concentrated the records (l500 feet) of all its subordinate units 
except those of its representative in London. These files, now in the 
custody of the Operations Department of the Maritime Commission, include 
reports, memoranda, directives, and correspondence on the various aspects 
of recruiting maritime personnel. 








Manning Division .—This Division, to supplement the primary m^anning 
agencies of the merchant marine, maintained marine labor pools at key 
ports along the east and west coasts, the Gulf of Mexico, the iireat Lakes, 
and the Mississippi River system. Through a network of port offices in 
liaison vdth the labor unions and vessel operators, it coordinated its 
reserves vrith those of the hiii.ng halls and vessel operators to form a 
Nation-wide pool of merchant seamen awaiting immediate assignment to ships. 

It maintained replacement manning pools at various ports throughout the 
world to provide for United States controlled ships that ran short of 
personnel on overseas voyages. It cooperated with the Coast Guard in the 
certification and licensing of United States merchant seamen. 

Records, —See description of records of the superior office, the 
Recruitment and ixanning Organization. 

Recruitment Division .—This Division studied the schedules for delivery 
of new vessels, the probable losses of manpov/er, and the number of reserves 
necessary ashore to meet all requirements of the merchant marine and drew up 
general recruitment programs for the approval of the R-ar Shipping Administra¬ 
tion Training and Manning liequirements Advisory Committee. The Division 
furnished interested congressional committees mth information necessary for 
the preparation of legislation assuring reemployment rights, seniority status, 
and other privileges to experienced merchant seamen who quit jobs ashore in 
order to return to the sea. Its field crews, working closely ’»vith the port 
offices of the Recruitment and Manning Organization, cooperated with the 
United States Employment Service, the T/ar Manpower Commission, the Office of 
Defense Transportation, and the armed forces in finding trained seamen for 
recruitment. 

Records .—See description of records of the superior office, the 
Recruitment and Manning Organization. 

Foreign Division. —This Division cooperated with the shipping missions 
and representatives of the Allied governments in securing adequate personnel 
to man United Nations ships. In cooperation with the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service it helped the Allies to reduce desertions at United 
States ports and to accelerate the deportation of deserting alien seamen who 
refused to reship. It organized, maintained, and operated clearinghouse 
machinery, in the form of monthly Inter-Allied Conferences, for the inter¬ 
change of data on the marine-manpov/er problems of the several members of 
the United Nations, and it assisted the United Nations in organizing and 
maintaining facilities for the health, vrelfare, housing, and individual 
care of their merchant seamen in the United States. 

Records ,—See description of records of the superior office, the 
Recruitment and Manning Organization. 

Service Division .—This Division maintained supervision over the 
medical, administrative, and financial operations of rest homes for seamen 
in the United States. It also cooperated with the United Seamen’s Service 
in the establishment and operation of recreational, welfare, and housing 
facilities for seamen on shore leave. 










Records. —^See description of records of the superior office, the 
Recruitment and Manning Organization. ■ 

Control Office .—This Office kept the Recruitment and Manning Organiza¬ 
tion informed of the actua]. and potential demand for seamen and officers 
and the available supply. In order to do this, it established appropriate 
reporting and control systems. It made follow-up studies of' apprentice 
seamen and graduate trainees and other studies of recruitment problems, 

:• Records .—-See description of records of the superibr-office, the 
Recruitment and Manning Organization. • . 

Office>of the United Kingdom Representative .—This Office was established 
in London on September 18, 19h2f to pixjvide for the care and return of 
American seairen rescued from torpedoed ships and landed at British ports and 
to develop a program of recreation and vrelfare for American searaen in British 
ports. It was also responsible for liaison between the iiecruitment and 
Manning Organization and the British Government and Allied representatives in 
Great Britain on all questions relating to the recruitment;of seamen and the 
manning of :uiierican and Allied merchant ships in British ports. It obtained 
crew replacements for United States ships in the United Kingdom when necessary. 

Records .—^I.!ost of the records of this Office are still in the'London 
office; a few are in the Maritime Commission’s Records Management Center 
in Hoboken, N. J. 

Training Organization ' ' 

The function of training merchant seamen was transferred by an 
Executive order of July 11, 19i;2, from the Coast Guard to the Mar 
Shipping Administration. The Training Organization, set up vfithin the 
Administration to handle the transferred function, sought to train only a 
sufficient number of new men in all ratings to supplement available qualified 
seamen and to provide a reasonable margin of sai'ety. Headed by an Assistant 
Deputy Administrator, it super-'/ised the United States Merchant Marine Cadet 
Corps and cooperated closely with the United States ilaritime Service and the 
State marine academies in their training programs. It cooperated w'ith the 
itecruitd-ng and Manning Organization and maintained liaison with the Navy 
Department, the Selective Service System, and other Government agencies, 

Nith the abolition of the War Shipping Administration, the Training 
Organization was dissolved, and its functions vrere transferred to the Train¬ 
ing Division of the Maritime Cornmission. . . . 

Records .—The records that v/ere maintained by the Office of the 
Assistant Deputy Administrator for Training (600' feet) are nov/ divided. 

Some are in the custody of the Maritime Coimnission’s Bureau of Maritime- 
Services and some are in the Comirdssion’s Records 'Management Center in 
V/ashington. They include maritime service personnel folders, appraisal 
reports of academies and training stations, and correspondence, reports, 
and reference materials on all phases of the training work. 









- 146 - 


Ilerchant Marine Cadet Corps Division. —This Division recruited and 
trained United States citizens who met the cadet-midshipman requirements 
of the Dar Shipping Adrainistration for positions as deck and engineer 
officers in the merchant m.arine. It prescribed training courses and, 
through the United States Lierchant Ilarine Cadet Corps, maintained basic 
training school^ v/ith attached training ships at Pass Christian, .iiss., 
and San i'iatep, Calif., and a Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N. Y. 

Records .—The Division’s records (l6 feet) are in the custody of 
the Maritime Commission’s Bureau of Maritime Services. 'They consist 
chiefly of the general subject file of the Supervisor of the Merchant • 

Marine Cadet Corps, which includes correspondence, memoranda, and other 
materials pertaining to the activities of the Corps. 

See ; United States Maritime Commission Cadet Corps, Information 
Booklet for Young Americans (19U2* 60 p.). ’ 

I'laritime Service Division .—This Division directed the procurement and 
training of men for all unlicensed and some licensed ratings aboard ship. 

Under its supervision the United States i.aritime Service operated four 
shore training stations for unlicensed seamen in deck, engine, and stewards' 
departments; a preliminary radio school at Huntington, Long Island; an 
advanced school for marine radio operators at Boston Harbor, Mass.; schools 
for chief stewards, assistant pursers, and hospital corpsmen; and specialist 
schools in Diesel operation, turbo-electrie and high-pressure-turbine 
propulsion, signaling, and the use of barrage balloons aboard ships. The 
Serivice had upgrading schools to give ordinary seamen, bakers, cooks, and 
others the additional training necessary for advances in ranlc, and it 
offered correspondence courses to men serving in the merchant marine at sea. 

At Fort Trumbull, New London, Conn., and at Alameda, Dalif., it had schools 
for seamen possessing the requisite experience to qualify as officers. In 
St, Petersburg, Fla., it maintained a school for training junior deck and 
engineer officers for positions on the small cargo vessels of the Army 
Transport Service. 

Records :—The records of the Maritime Service Division (U5 feet) 
are in the custody of the Bureau of Maritime Services of the Maritime 
Commission. They consist chiefly of correspondence, reoorts, charts, and 
personnel folders. 

State Maritime Academies Division .—This Division directed the training 
of cadet midshipmen at five State maritime academies partially supported by 
Federal funds. These academies (at Vallejo, Calif.; Castine, Maine; Hyannis, 
Mass.; Fort Schuyler, N. Y.; and Philadelphia) conducted courses in naval 
science and qualified their cadets for licenses as third mates or third 
assistant engineers. 

Records .—The Division’s records (20 feet) are in the custody of the 
Bureau of maritime Services of the Maritime Commission, They include 
correspondence mth each of the academies and personnel files for cadet 
graduates. 








Administrative Offices and Sectio ns.—Since the Training Organization 
received its appropriations independently of the rest of the "vVar Shipping 
Administration, it had its own subordinate units to handle• administrative 
matters. The Legal Office executed its 1: ases and contracts, arranged 
for the acquisition of land, gave advice on proposed legislation, and 
drafted legal interpretations of the regulations governing the United 
States Merchant Marine Cadet Corps, the State maritime academies, and the 
United States Maritime Service. The Inspection Office conducted inspections, 
investigations, and surveys of the operations of the constituent units of 
the Training Organization; recommended new or revised methods, practices, 
procedures; and programs for the Organization; and directed the Maritirae 
Ser'^ce Shore Patrol units. The Finance Section managed the financial 
programs and projects of the Training Organization, compiling its budget 
estimates, conducting audits^ keeping accounts, and disbursing funds. 

The Procurement Section purchased supplies and equipment for the 
Organization, operated commissary departments, conducted nutritional surveys, 
and established food rations. The Construction Section designed, constructed, 
and maintained training ships, docks, barracks, roads, and other buildings 
and facilities for the Organization. The Public relations Section conducted 
the public relations and publicity campaigns of the Organization to recruit 
trainees for the United States .*ierch^t Marine Cadet Corps and the United 
States Maritime Service. 

Records .—Some of the records of these several offices and 
sections ,(^0 feet) are in the Maritime Commission's Records Management 
Center in Washington; some are in the custody of its Bureau of Maritime 
Services. The records include legal opinions_, contracts and leases, 
appraisal reports, reports of inspections of training operations, pay 
records, vouchers, purchase orders, inventories,,blue prints, radio scripts, 
information sheets, and newspaper clippings. 

Medical Division . ^ . r . .. • 


This.Division, established under the Deputy Administrator for Labor 
Relations, Manning, Training, and Recruitment on September 10, 19U3, 

Vifas supervised by the Medical Director and other officers of the Public 
Health Service detailed to the ‘Mar Shipping Administration. It was con¬ 
cerned y/ith the prevention of disability in the Merchant Marine; -the 
development ..of preventive medicine programs-aboard ships; and the provision 
of sanitary plumbing, adequate first aid supplies and medicines, emergency 
rescue equipment, proper ventilation for crew's quarters, and adequate 
working space. In cooperation with the United Seamen's Service, it 
established port medical offices in the principal ports in the Atlantic, 
Pacific, and Gulf areas and five convalescent rest homes'. 

Records .—The Division's records (25 feet) are in the Bureau of 
Maritime Services of the ^'aritime Commission. They include general 
correspondence files, reports of port medical representatives, and a 
general file containing reports, memoranda, and statistical data prepared 
by the Division's sections. 






Uo 


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



Medical Section (Training Organization) .—This Section, under joint 
direction of the Medical Director and the Assistant Deputy Administrator for 
Training, supervised the Hospital Corps School of the Training Organization 
and the hospital corps on vessels and furnished medical services at the 
eleven principal training stations and on training ships. It provided medical 
examination facilities for the Recruitment Division, liaison vvith the five 
State maritime academies., and first aid instruction to trainees, in the several 
schools controlled by the Training Organization. It also prepared medical 
statistics and reports. 

Records .—The records of the Section are interfiled among those 
of the Medical Division and the Training Organization. 

Medical Section (Recruitment and Manning) .—This Section was under joint 
supervision of the liedical Director and the Assistant Deputy Administrator 
for i^crniitrnent and Manning. It was primarily concerned with the medical 
aspects of recruiting active, experienced seamen and manning ships vdLth 
competent crews. It was responsible for the care of traumatized seamen and 
studied the medical needs of active seamen. It also handled medical problems 
related to the repatriation of disabled seamen; treated psychiatric cases; 
provided overseas medical care; and engaged in medical social work, medical 
research, and health education. • , . 

lie cords .—The Section’s records are interfiled among those of 
the Medical Division and the Recruitment and Manning Organization. 

MIedical Section (Operations Division) .—This Section was under the 
joint administration of the Medical Director and the Assistant Deputy Adminis¬ 
trator for Ship Operations. It was primarily concerned ‘vvith keeping the 
seamen fit for duty while at sea. it handled problems of nutrition and diet, 
refrigeration, plumbing, water supplies, ventilation of crew quarters, 
fumigation, sanitation, medical equipment and supplies, and safety at sea. 

Records .—The.Section*s records are interfiled among those of the 
Medical Division and the Vessel Operations Division. 

liedical Section (Mxamination of Seamen ).—This Section, under the • 
Medical Director, examined seamen at the time of their signing on and 
annually thereafter. It also handled special problems, such as those 
relating to communicable diseases, tuberculosis, venereal diseases,! 
psychobiology, and immunization. , .... 

Records .^—The records of the Section are interfiled among those 
of the Medical Division. 
















































